Time is of the essence as Canada’s leadership in the world’s nuclear industry is at stake. The Organization of CANDU Industries (OCI) welcomes comments made by Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt committing to work with the Ontario government to make a timely decision on Canada’s nuclear future.  In a speech at the Economic Club of Canada, Raitt declared “…it’s time we work together, for Canadians and Ontarians, to build a stronger future for our nuclear industry but time is of the essence.”

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is reminding businesses throughout Ontario to be vigilant in protecting their operations and employees from possible effects of a global flu pandemic, by issuing an updated Pandemic Planning Tool Kit.

Businesses should start planning how to maintain critical operations, manage supply disruptions and handle employees who need to stay home and take care of themselves or sick family members during a widespread emergency like a flu pandemic. A national survey demonstrates that half of all companies surveyed have no pandemic plan.

Oshawa Ontario, is known as the home of General Motors of Canada, and that has brought prosperity to the city for almost 100 years. But a world-wide recession and depressed auto sales have forced the giant company to reinvent itself and Oshawa is changing along with it. As laid-off auto workers struggle to adapt and find new jobs, city leaders are continuing with their efforts to diversify the local economy. Bob Malcolmson, CEO and General Manager of the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce participated in the filming of an hour long documentary about its city which was aired on CPAC. Titled, “Oshawa: The Road to Reinvention”, the program looks at the past, present and future of General Motors in Oshawa as it also reveals new opportunities that have developed in health-care, higher education and alternative fuel research.

Employment Insurance
In June, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Leader of the Official Opposition Michael  Ignatieff agreed to form a working group to develop proposals for EI reform that would allow self-employed Canadians to participate voluntarily in the EI program and improve eligibility requirements in order to ensure regional fairness. Chambers were recently sent information on EI which The Canadian Chamber of Commerce provided for advocacy efforts over the summer on this important file. To view the letters, click here.

Economic Series: Executive Summaries
Over the last few months The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, supported generously by ADP, has been able to produce a series of papers on key public policy issues facing Canada today. These reports include: immigration; Canadian energy; inflation and deflation; and a carbon tax versus cap and trade. The entire series,   an all-in-one document with executive summaries of all of the papers has been put together. The economic series was crafted not to recommend specific policy solutions, but to stimulate public discussion and debate about the nation’s challenges.

John Wright, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Ipsos Ried’s North American Public Opinion Polling Division has been appointed Honourary Lieutenant-Colonel of The Ontario Regiment (Royal Canadian Armoured Corps) which is based in Oshawa, Ontario.  His role as an ‘Honourary’ will be to serve as a link between the community and the Canadian Forces.

Click here for John Wright's Biography   

Lieutenant-Colonel Wright’s appointment was recommended by the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Walt Natynczyk and approved by Peter MacKay, the Minister of National Defence on 24 June of this year.