Memorandum for the Right Honourable Paul Martin, P.C., M.P. – Changing the Culture of Government: Making the Most of Spending Review and Reallocation
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the newly formed Standing Committee on Industry, Natural Resources and Science and Technology. Your Committee has a broad and very important mandate, and we look forward to working with you in fostering policies that can enhance Canadian advantage in manufacturing, resource industries and science and technology, to the benefit of all Canadians. The pace of change in the marketplace is accelerating. Competition law, along with other economic framework policies, must keep pace if Canada is to continue to be an attractive location for investment and offer a sound foundation from which businesses can compete internationally. Indeed, to enable companies to succeed in this dynamic international arena such policies must support their ability to maintain and increase their pace of innovation. In particular, changes to the Competition Act should facilitate rather than inhibit the kind of strategic alliances and new business arrangements that […]
Canada’s pre-eminent business organization, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), congratulated President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Paul Martin for outlining a sensible, forward-looking agenda for cooperation on bilateral, North American and global issues. “The two leaders focussed on what matters most to Canadians and Americans — security and prosperity,” said CCCE President and Chief Executive Thomas d’Aquino. The CCCE strongly endorsed the commitment of both countries to improving co-ordination of intelligence-sharing, cross-border law enforcement and counter-terrorism, while increasing the security of critical infrastructure in areas such as transportation, energy and communications networks. Of equal importance is the promise to work towards renewing the NORAD agreement and to investigate opportunities for greater cooperation on North American maritime surveillance and maritime defence. “If our citizens are not secure,” said Mr. d’Aquino, “they never will be free.” The CCCE saluted the willingness of both the President and the Prime Minister to take concrete […]
The following are comments by Thomas d’Aquino, President and Chief Executive of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), after today’s signing of an accord between Southeast Asian countries and China to create the world’s biggest free trade area by the end of the decade: “This agreement between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represents a wakeup call for Canadians. A decade ago, Canadians were leaders in the worldwide movement toward more open markets. Together with our partners in the United States and Mexico, we successfully launched the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and created the world’s largest trading zone, which delivered enormous benefits for all three countries. But today, North Americans face an unprecedented degree of competition for investment and for jobs as developing nations such as China and India become powerful forces in global markets. Without a clear vision of where we want to go, […]
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before this Committee on behalf of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) to discuss reform of Canada’s Employment Insurance system. The fundamental purpose of Employment Insurance is two-fold: to help the country make the best possible use of its formidable pool of human talent, and to encourage each individual to achieve his or her full potential while providing a safety net against the unpredictable ups and downs of a dynamic economy. Canada’s current system of Employment Insurance has its strengths, but there is almost universal agreement that it could be improved. The federal government has recognized in particular the need for reform of the rate-setting mechanism, but more fundamental issues also need to be addressed. The 2003 Federal Budget set out five principles of a new permanent rate-setting regime to be in place for 2005: transparency; independent expert advice; mitigation […]
The following are comments by Thomas d’Aquino, President and Chief Executive of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), in response to the Autumn 2004 Economic and Fiscal Update by Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance: “Finance Minister Ralph Goodale was right on the money when he said that running surpluses, paying down debt and cutting taxes have given Canada the best economic and job growth in the G-7. What is disappointing is how little he said about what needs to be done to reinforce this virtuous circle. “Despite all the good news Canadians are hearing today, the minister recognized that Canada’s economy faces some real risks. The sharp rise in the Canadian dollar is slashing profits for many exporters even as they face an urgent need to invest in new technology to improve their productivity. Meanwhile, high oil prices together with huge […]
Sustaining and Improving Public Health Care – A Daunting Challenge, A Huge Opportunity
Memorandum for Leaders of Federal Political Parties – Enhancing the Influence of Members of Parliament by Strengthening Parliamentary Committees
A new round of federal tax cuts is needed to ensure that the Canadian economy can withstand the pressures of a rising Canadian dollar, more intense competition and a looming global slowdown, Canada’s business leaders say. “In recent years Canada has enjoyed an extraordinary run of robust economic growth, but the good times will not last forever,” Thomas d’Aquino, President and Chief Executive of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives(CCCE), said in a speech today to a conference in Ottawa on Canadian international policy. The CCCE is composed of the chief executives of 150 leading Canadian corporations and is devoted to strengthening the country’s economy and society through the development of sound public policy. Expressing deep concern about surging fiscal and trade deficits in the United States, growing protectionism, instability in oil producing states and the threat of global terrorism, Mr. d’Aquino called for a concerted strategy for enhancing Canada’s future […]
Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst – Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance, House of Commons
March 1, 2024
April 3, 2023
April 3, 2023
February 20, 2023
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