Lobbying Information
Subject Matters
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Agriculture
- Arts and Culture
- Broadcasting
- Budget
- Climate
- Constitutional Issues
- Consumer Issues
- Defence
- Economic Development
- Education
- Employment and Training
- Energy
- Environment
- Financial Institutions
- Fisheries
- Forestry
- Health
- Immigration
- Industry
- Intellectual Property
- Internal Trade
- International Development
- International Relations
- International Trade
- Justice and Law Enforcement
- Labour
- National Security/Security
- Pensions
- Regional Development
- Science and Technology
- Small Business
- Taxation and Finance
- Telecommunications
- Tourism
- Transportation
Subject Matter Details
Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
- Bill C-11, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act. Pushing for ratification of international copyright treaties and better protection for copyright material
- Bill C-12, an Act to Amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Parts of this bill must be re-worded to make it clearer around the meaning of consent
- Bill C-25: An Act relating to pooled registered pension plans and making related amendments to other Acts, with respect to ensuring that PRPPs are easy for employers to understand and offer to their employees for example by adopting tax rules simjilar to those for RRSPs
- Bill C-28, Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act to ensure this bill is passed by Parliament to help businesses fight the problem of spam and maximize their efficiencies and to ensure this legislation does not place unnecessary burdens on Canadian businesses
- Intellectual Property Rights - Strengthened legislation to better protect Intellectual Property Rights. Make counterfeiting and piracy criminal offences under the Criminal Code; Trademark counterfeiting a specific criminal offence under the Trade-Marks Act; and impose stronger penalties for counterfeiting and piracy that endangers the health and safety of Canadians.
- New legislation with respect to providing First Nations with the option to opt out of the Indian Act’s land tenure provisions and assume underlying ownership of their reserves.
- With respect to ensuring the regulations supporting the Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act include the detail and clarity regarding mandatory retirement and benefits for older workers that federally regulated businesses require
Policies or Program
- BORDER CROSSINGS - Beyond the Borders Initiative, with respect to implementation of the action plan
- BORDER CROSSINGS - Border Contingency Planning with respect to the development of A Border Contingency Plan ie the recently released Plan for the Movement of People and goods During and Following an Emergency. Government agencies working on this file include CBSA and Public Safety. We support the development of this plan.
- Digital Economy Strategy. Submissions to the government, looking for more of an emphasis placed on the digital economy by the government
- EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE Reform - standardize eligibility criteria, amend rate-setting formula, remove social program aspects of EI from the regular premium structure, implement an employer-based experience rating system, reduce employer EI premium rate to equal that paid by employees, and refund employer over-contributions - Taxation and Finance
- EMPLOYMENT/TRAINING - Temporary Foreign Workers Program/Prevailing Wage Rate with regard to ensuring the Prevailing Wage Rate reflects wages paid to Canadian workers
- ENERGY – Development of a national Canadian Sustainable Energy Strategy, support development of all parts of the energy sector the entire energy value chain
- ENVIRONMENT – Environmental assessment regulatory system, harmonization of regulations with provinces, transborder waste movement regulations
- Economic Development - With regard to the measures the federal government needs to take to the to encourage private sector investment in remote communities and to bring the economic potential/participation of Canada’s territories up to other regions of Canada. Specifically, that the federal government: ensure its skills and training programs are flexible enough to accommodate the economic realities of individual communities and the alternate training models that may be required to deliver effective results; partner with businesses whenever possible to ensure training programs are delivered efficiently and meet the needs of employers; provide tools for Canadian businesses and stakeholders in remote communities to allow them to familiarize themselves with each others’ business practices, governments, agencies, laws and regulations; adopt a standardized “one project-one assessment approach” that harmonizes federal and provincial/territorial statutes and regulations; hold regulators accountable for the impact of their actions; make the regulatory process more transparent, for example by communicating the drafting of new regulations in advance and ensuring affected sectors are consulted and receive; pursue more opportunities to enter into pilot project partnerships with the private sector to bring enabling infrastructure to remote communities; consider potential commercial benefits when choosing the
locations of federal infrastructure projects; undertake a thorough research initiative to measure the
current and potential economic value of remote communities and clearly articulate the results to all Canadians.
- Employment Insurance - Employer premiums for, and scope of the Employment Insurance Program
- Employment/Training - Skills development and Re-training programs with regard to ensuring Canada's workforce has the skills to meet employers' and incentives to encourage older workers to remain in the work force and improving education/workforce outcomes for Aboriginal peoples youth and disabled persons.
- Employment/Training - Temporary Foreign Workers Program/Prevailing Wage Rate with regard to ensuring the Prevailing Wage Rate reflects wages paid to Canadian workers.
- FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS - Promote balanced free trade agreements for Canada with Europe, India and Korea. Promote Canada's participation in the Trans-Pacific partnership
- IMMIGRATION REFORM - Expedited application process with regard to giving priority to applicants who possess skills in short supply in Canada and processing their applications within 6-12 months.
- IMMIGRATION REFORM - Foreign Credentials Recognition Program with regard to working with the provinces/territories and business community to develop national accreditation standards to evaluate foreign credentials, professional and trade qualifications, and certification in regulated and non-regulated occupations that reflect employers' needs
- INNOVATION - Stimulate R&D in the pharmaceutical industry by extending data protection and implementing a five-year patent restoration system. Improving the SR&ED tax credit program to drive innovation. Pushing the government to continue to encourage small and medium sized businesses to do more online.
- INTERNAL TRADE - removing interprovincial barriers to trade, investment, and labour mobility within Canada
- International Development - Asking the federal government, specifically the CIDA, to work with the Canadian private sector to identify the challenges and opportunities for a greater role to enhance the effectiveness of the government’s international development efforts.
- International Trade: Expanding trade and investment links with developing countries.
- Labour: Ensuring that any changes to the Canada Labour Code are implemented only if they address a real problem or result in improvement for these employers, their employee and/or the Canadians they serve.
- Labour: Asking the federal government, specifically CIDA, to work with the Canadian private sector to identify ways to increase long-term formal employment opportunities for the poor in developing countries, and facilitate the availability of financial institutional products and services, including microfinance, to stimulate job creation for the poor
- Pensions: With regard to providing additional retirement savings options to Canadians that do not impose additional costs and/or administrative burdens on employers.
- Responsible Business Conduct - with respect to federal oversight of businesses' behaviour internationally
- SMALL BUSINESS - Reducing red tape and the compliance burden and encouraging effective fiscal and economic policy measures to improve the business climate for SMEs.
- SPENDING CONTROL - Clarify the respective roles of federal and provincial/territorial governments in the areas of health care, social services, post-secondary education, social assistance and training
- SPENDING CONTROL - Continue to review all direct program spending and operating costs on a four-year cycle to determine where the payoffs are the greatest, and identify areas where spending can be reduced or eliminated Taxation and Finance
- TAX/DEBT REDUCTION - Ensure the federal debt-to-Gross Domestic Product target falls to below 30% by 2015 - Federal Budget Taxation and Finance
- TAX/DEBT REDUCTION - Harmonize provincial retail taxes with the Goods and Service Tax, reduce personal income tax rates across all income tax brackets and make improvements to Capital Cost Allowance rates - Taxation and Finance
- TRANSPORTATION POLICY in regards to the development of a National Transportation Strategy and a National Infrastructure Plan
- Taxation and Finance - Clarify the respective roles of federal and provincial/territorial governments in the areas of health care, social services, post-secondary education, social assistance and training
- Taxation and Finance - Continue to review all direct program spending and operating costs on a four-year cycle to determine where the payoffs are the greatest, and identify areas where spending can be reduced or eliminated
- Telecommunications. The Canadian Chamber advocates that future telecommunications policies should be focused on creating the right investment incentives that will foster vibrant competition in the sector as a whole and not favour only certain companies.
- WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION/ MILLENIUM ROUND - Pushing for an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Doha Round Negotiations
Regulation
- CLIMATE CHANGE - development of a national carbon pricing system, international negotiations, Clean Energy Dialogue with US"
Communication Techniques
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Written communication
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Oral communication
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Grass-roots communication
Government Institutions
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Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
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Advisory Council on National Security (ACNS)
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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
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Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB)
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Bank of Canada
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Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
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Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
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Canada Labour Relations Board (CLRB)
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Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
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Canadian Heritage (PCH)
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Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT)
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Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
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Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT)
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Canadian Pension Commission (CPC)
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Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
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Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)
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Citizenship and Immigration Canada
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Competition Bureau Canada (COBU)
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Competition Tribunal (CT)
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Environment Canada
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Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office (FEARO)
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Federal Office of Regional Development – Quebec (FORD[Q])
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Finance Canada (FIN)
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Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
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Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAITC)
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Health Canada (HC)
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House of Commons
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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
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Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)
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Industry Canada
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Justice Canada (JC)
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National Defence (DND)
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National Energy Board (NEB)
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Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
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Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL)
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Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC)
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Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
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Privy Council Office (PCO)
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Public Safety Canada (PS)
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Public Works and Government Services Canada
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Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
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Senate of Canada
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Service Canada (ServCan)
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Solicitor General Canada (SGC)
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Statistics Canada (StatCan)
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Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)
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Transport Canada (TC)
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Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
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Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)
In-house Organization Details
Description of the organization's activities
Founded in 1925, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the nation's largest business association, representing small and large firms from every sector and region in Canada. The Canadian Chamber is a network of 350 community chambers and boards of trade across Canada, in addition to individual corporate members and over 65 trade and professional organizations. The total membership exceeds 170,000. It is dedicated to the promotion and development of a strong economy. The chamber monitors federal and international issues, solicits the views of the Canadian business community and communicates them to policymakers in Ottawa and internationally. Headquartered in Ottawa, it also has staff in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. www.chamber.ca
Responsible officer name and position during the period of this registration
Perrin Beatty,
President & Chief Executive Officer
Organization's membership or classes of membership
THE CHAMBER'S MEMBERSHIP CONSISTS OF: ORGANIZATION MEMBERS INCLUDING CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND BOARDS OF TRADE LOCATED IN CANADA; CORPORATION MEMBERS CONSISTING OF CORPORATIONS, FIRMS AND PARTNERSHIPS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF CANADA; ASSOCIATE MEMBERS INCLUDING BUSINESS, TRADE AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF CANADA; INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS CONSISTING OF PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF CANADA; AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERS WHOSE PURPOSE IT IS TO PROMOTE TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CANADA AND OTHER COUNTRIES.
Government funding
No government funding was received during the last completed financial year.
In-house Organization Contact Information
Address:
360 Albert Street
Suite 420
Ottawa, ON K1R 7X7
Canada
Telephone number:
613-238-4000
Ext.
245
Fax number:
613-238-7643
Lobbyists Details
Employees who lobby for the organization
- Anne Argyris,
Director |
Public offices held
- Perrin Beatty,
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Public offices held
- Susanna Cluff-Clyburne,
Director, Parliamentary Affairs |
No public offices held
- Warren Everson,
Senior Vice-President, Policy |
Public offices held
- Chris Gray,
DIRECTOR, CANADIAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COUNCIL |
Public offices held
- TINA KREMMIDAS,
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT & SENIOR ECONOMIST |
No public offices held
- Leah Littlepage,
Director, Canada-U.S. and Transportation Policy |
No public offices held
- Katrina Marsh,
Director, Environment and Energy Policy |
Public offices held