Memorandum for The Honourable Frank McKenna
Dear Premier McKenna, We at the Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) welcome this opportunity to offer some thoughts on the future of our country, as we enter what we believe is a critically important phase in our collective development as Canadians. We offer these thoughts to you, as the incoming Chairman of the Council of Premiers, in the hope that you will share them with your fellow First Ministers when you meet a few weeks from now in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. THE DECISIVE ROLE THAT PREMIERS CAN PLAY Over the past twelve months, the BCNI has encouraged pro-Confederation Premiers to draw on your collective strength and enormous pool of goodwill towards Canada and all of our citizens, to launch a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering the federation. This appeal to collective action was not meant in any way to take away from the central role of the […]
Innovation at Heart of Job Growth
Innovation at Heart of Job Growth
Large Enterprises Lead the Way
Toward More and Better Jobs for
Canadians: BCNI Study
The process of economic restructuring has been painful, but it has produced and will continue to produce more and better jobs for Canadians, the Business Council on National Issues concludes in a major study. “The creation of sustainable, high-quality employment has been driven by private-sector initiative and investment, not by government make-work programs. And within the private sector, large and small businesses are playing essential and complementary roles that must be understood if we wish to accelerate the pace of job creation.” Based in part on an extensive survey of the BCNI’s member chief executives, the study acknowledges pervasive public skepticism of large corporations, but notes that many of their key contributions are not widely recognized. These include lead roles in boosting Canadian competitiveness, innovation and exports; investing in employees and young people; providing vital support to small businesses and to Canadian communities; bringing financial security to millions of Canadian […]
Continued Fiscal Discipline, Unity Push
Key to Faster Economic and Job Growth,
Business Leaders Tell Prime Minister
The Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) has told Prime Minister Jean ChrǸtien that while its member chief executives are pleased with Canada’s economic performance and prospects, “we believe that Canada can do much better — provided that your government stays the course on fiscal policy and that we deal decisively with the festering uncertainty over the political future of our country”. In a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister this week, the BCNI’s Policy Committee lays out its recommendations for dealing with the “three scourges” of high unemployment, high public debt and high taxes. It urges the government to resist calls for renewed spending on short-term job creation; to set ambitious objectives for sustained debt reduction, including two-year rolling targets; and to develop a tax reduction strategy consistent with those debt targets in time for next year’s budget. In addition, the memorandum continues, “we must state bluntly that Canadian unity is […]
Memorandum for
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, P.C., M.P.
Dear Prime Minister, This week, the Board of Directors of our organization, the Business Council on National Issues (BCNI), met in Ottawa to take measure of where the country stands economically and politically. We had the advantage of meeting in the immediate aftermath of the national general election in which your party won a second majority. For this achievement, Prime Minister, we congratulate you and your colleagues in what we know was a tough, divisive and at times acrimonious campaign. There is hardly a better occasion to take the pulse of Canada economically and politically than after a major electoral outcome. We particularly welcome the opportunity to share our views with you and your colleagues just as you are preparing the policy directions for the government’s second mandate. THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION Overall, we continue to be pleased with Canada’s economic performance and improving prospects. But we believe that Canada […]
Jobs, Growth and Community: Large Enterprise at Work
Jobs, Growth and Community: Large Enterprise at Work
Business Council Salutes new Youth Initiative
Canada’s business leaders recognize that prolonged high unemployment among young people is a danger both to the country’s social fabric and to the competitiveness of Canadian companies in a global information-based economy. The Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) supports fully the formation this week of the Corporate Council on Youth in the Economy to help like-minded companies examine how they can be more effective in addressing both urgent problems and the longer-term factors that affect the ability of young people to find work and build meaningful careers. “Innovative partnerships are already flourishing in many communities, but we need better evaluation of what really works, so that we can spread the best practices,” said BCNI President and Chief Executive Thomas d’Aquino. “The Corporate Council on Youth in the Economy will provide an important forum for small, medium-sized and large companies to share research and ideas and to draw on the […]
Business Leaders Applaud Canada’s
Excellent Performance in World
Competitiveness Rankings
Canada’s CEO-based business organization, the Business Council on National Issues (BCNI), expressed strong satisfaction with the latest country rankings of global competitiveness released in Geneva today by the World Economic Forum. Out of fifty-three countries, Canada ranked fourth — preceded by Singapore in first place, and Hong Kong and the United States in second and third place, respectively. Last year, Canada ranked eighth and the year previous, 16th. “This remarkable improvement in Canada’s overall competitiveness,” noted BCNI President and Chief Executive, Thomas d’Aquino, “is due in large measure to the country’s success in rolling back deficits — but the improved ranking also is a powerful endorsement of market-oriented policies that encompass low inflation, free trade and a reduced role in the economy on the part of governments. Canadians have every reason to be pleased with this result. It was achieved, after all, with hard work and sacrifices on the part […]
Jobless Youth a Challenge for All
Jobless Youth a Challenge for All
Business Leaders Elect A.L. Flood as BCNI Chairman, Express Confidence in Canada’s Job Prospects
The Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) has elected A. L. Flood, one of Canada’s senior bankers, as its new Chairman. He succeeds Guy Saint-Pierre, the Chairman of SNC-LAVALIN Group Inc., who now assumes the post of Honorary Chairman. The BCNI is Canada’s leading business organization and the voice of the country’s chief executives on public policy issues in Canada and internationally. Its membership is composed of the chief executive officers of 150 leading Canadian corporations. These companies represent every major sector of the economy and are responsible for a significant majority of Canada’s private sector investment, exports, training and research and development. Mr. Flood, who is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CIBC, was elected at the conclusion of a special meeting of the BCNI on competitiveness and Canada-United States relations held in Washington, D.C. About 80 of the BCNI’s member chief executives also attended a breakfast session with […]
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