May 2014 by Brandon Chamber of Commerce

MAY 2014 Inside this issue: GM’s Report Member Spotlight Events Review Upcoming Events Annual Dinner Recap Member Expert Article

CHAMBER at a glance

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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The End of a Term

t seems like a long time ago, but it was only a year past that we laid out the plans for the Chamber for the year. We set some very ambitious goals to be sure. Shoot for the stars, you might hit the moon right? As I look back, as a group, we have accomplished much.

for us, that started with previous boards and really took hold this year, and will continue to evolve for the foreseeable future. We wanted to focus our agenda on projects that would bring value to you our membership, things that were more energizing and fun. We moved those yardsticks considerably.

One area was taking advantage of our We committed to changing and challengnewly created air service. We continue ing the Government Relations Comto have regular communication and cormittee. We wanted to strengthen it and respondence with WestJet, including our empower it. Carla Milne, our chair of recent Chamber that committee air service survey and her memand continue to “We need to and will bers absolutely work with the city grabbed that ball continue to be the to push for investand ran with it. ment in our airport member’s collective Our position of to further this knowledge, unvoice…” important business derstanding of spark. Frank Arndt issues, and muand his Business tual respect directly helped urge the city, Development Committee worked hard school division and province to do the on this and other initiatives. best they could on budget days. We need to and will continue to be the We committed to “fight back” on busimember’s collective voice on these ness leakage to the U.S. and Winnipeg. matters. Our shop local committee chair Jordan Ludwig and his crew pulled off an amazThe efforts of that committee allowed ing Black Friday campaign and they conthe executive to focus on economic detinue to work tirelessly to work on initiavelopment and development of the tives to keep people informed and supchamber. This was a fundamental shift

Craig Senchuk, Chamber President porting local business. We heard time and again about labor and skill shortages. We committed to establishing a Workforce Development Committee and have done that. This committee is undergoing a strategic planning process that will set the stage for us to work collectively for westman business to find short and long term solutions. We committed to beginning something to take advantage of the oil and gas development at our doorstep. The Bakken oil event that we held was an absolutely fantastic first step. It also served to strengthen our partnerships with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, World Trade Centre Winnipeg and the Keystone Centre. There is much more to do and we are already planning for (Continued on page 6)

FROM THE GM DESK.

GM REPORT

A Strong Chamber Network

n April, the members of the executive and I travelled to Dauphin, Manitoba to attend the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC) AGM. This was a chance for chambers across the province to gather and collectively determine the priorities and policies of the Manitoba Chambers for the year ahead. Together we work to shape policy and influence the issues that are important to business. As part of the weekend agenda, we also took part in informational sessions on the power of tourism, economic development opportunities, exploring new markets and strengthening your chamber. Just prior to the MCC AGM, I also attended the first ever annual general meeting of the newly formed Chamber Executives of Manitoba (CEM), a professional development organization to help chamber professionals unite, learn and grow. In fact, I am pleased to share that I was elected as the first Chair of the CEM Board. Our philosophy is that by working together and being more engaged with one another, we will not only support stronger chamber professionals but a stronger chamber network and ultimately a stronger Manitoba. The daylong session included presentations on strategic planning, social media and communication and leadership. The entire weekend is an opportunity to connect with other chamber champions across the province to share ideas, challenges and successes and is probably the thing I look forward to most.

and strive to provide continued value to our members. We all talk about the economic development of our communities, we are all conCarolynn Cancade, cerned about General Manager the challenges our businesses face, and we all look to build relationships with stakeholders and governments to better our communities. We all work towards providing value to our members, whether that be through advocating on business issues, hosting networking events, providing professional development opportunities or cost saving benefits, or simply being cheerleaders for our community. The real strength in these meetings is the collective voice we bring to the table. The Manitoba Chamber represents over 10,000 businesses and there is power in numbers. The unified voice of the chamber network is powerful and can influence decision makers. Quite simply, together we are stronger.

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Next year, Brandon will play host to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce AGM May 1-3, and we look forward to the opportunity to showcase our city and our outstanding business community. We invite you to attend to learn more about the Chamber movement and add your voice.

It is a reminder that as a local chamber we are not alone; we are a part of a larger Chamber network. Having attended a few of these meetings now, I am continually impressed with the passion and dedication of all those involved in the chamber movement, and it is always apparent that while Carolynn Cancade we may represent diverse communities and General Manager memberships, we share similar challenges Contact Carolynn by phone at 204-571-5342 or by email at gm@brandonchamber.ca

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Join us for Friday Coffee! 10:00am 10:00am--11:00am Chamber Office www.brandonchamber.ca

MEMBERSHIP ZONE.

Get Others Involved! member

SPOTLIGHT The Brandon Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome Scinocca’s Corporate Promotions to our membership! We caught up with Jason Martens, Coowner/Sales Manager, and asked him a few questions... What type of services/products do you offer? Corporate, school and team apparel, promotional gifts, tournament prizes, stationary, head wear, glassware, golf bags, pro-line golf products and more. We offer golf-specific products that other vendors do not have available. What are your business goals? We started selling from the golf course and saw potential in selling a more diverse line and growing our customer base with a store location. Our aim is to offer different types of promotional products, specializing in golf -related products.

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environment that encourages customer interaction. We have a comfortable sitting area where we can discuss ideas and have one on one consultations. Instead of just offering a catalogue to order from, customers can sit down and we can put options together for them. With connections to Shilo Country Club, golf packages can also be incorporated into a team-building event. What else should be know about Scinocca Promotions? We are more than willing to come to you! We know people are busy, so we can go meet when and wherever is convenient for the customer. What are your business hours? 9am—1pm afternoon and evening by appointment. Scinocca’s Corporate Promotions is located at 320 10th Street, and they can be reached by phone at 204-725-8421 or by visiting their website at www.Scpromotions.ca.

Another goal was to create an easy going and welcoming

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL It is time to renew your investment in the Brandon Chamber of Commerce! Membership fees are one of the sources of revenue that allow the Chamber to provide a range of programs, services and benefits that help members to save money, promote their business network, access educational resources and ensure their voice is heard at local, provincial and federal levels of government. We thank you in advance for renewing your membership and joining us in our commitment to create a thriving business community in Brandon. Please note that membership invoices will be sent out the first week of June via EMAIL. Please let us know if you have any staffing or contact information changes.

THE POWER OF AFFILIATION 800 business people with one unified voice for business means protection for your business. Businesses faced with unfair government administration, taxation, or legislation can use the Chamber as a valuable resource. Well established channels to government and tthe power of representing over 800 delegates business people give the Chamber a voice that speaks louder than each business can alone.

For more information, call 204-571-5340 or email at internal@brandonchamber.ca.

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PAST EVENTS.

Chamber Luncheon: Champion of Ag March 13, 2014

Chamber Workshop Series April 16, 2014

Kim McConnell, founder and former CEO of AdFarm spoke on the importance and future of agriculture for communities and the important role youth will play. Thank you to our major sponsor, CGA Manitoba.

As part of our professional development sessions, the Chamber was pleased to host a free Lunch and Learn— Manitoba Hydro Power Smart for Business where attendees learned about a number of cost saving programs offered through Manitoba Hydro to lower energy bills and become more energy efficient.

Also, thank you to Redfern Farm Services for their generous support.

STATE OF THE CITY LUNCHEON MAY 8| Victoria Inn Sponsor: Brandon First

BA5: MURRAY HOUSE

BA5: Alternative Landscaping April 24, 2014

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce was once again pleased to partner with the Inter-Provincial Association on Aboriginal Employment to host the 13th Annual Aboriginal Job Fair at Shoppers Mall. Over 20 employers set up for a full day of meetings with job seekers. Thank you to sponsors: Westman Communications Group—StarFM/CKLQ, Shoppers Mall and Manitoba Metis Federation.

Alternative Landscaping Ltd. showcased their brand new location on the SE corner of 34th & Patricia to over 100 people who came out to network and take in the beautiful surroundings. Thank you to Alternative Landscaping Ltd. for hosting this event and congratulations on your new facility!

PRESIDENT’S LUNCHEON & CHANGEOVER CEREMONY June 5| Royal Oak Inn & Suites Sponsor: Crocus Credit Union

25TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT June 11 | Minnedosa Golf & Country Club Major Sponsor: CGA Manitoba

CHAMBER COFFEE TIME

State of the Province April 24, 2014

M A Y – J U N E

May 28 | Murray House— 521 Frederick St.

Aboriginal Job Fair March 18, 2014

Premier Selinger gave his annual State of the Province address to a crowd of approximately 400 people at the Keystone Centre. Chamber Vice-President, Todd Birkhan, questioned the Premier on provincial issues around competitiveness, workforce challenges, taxation and economic development opportunities.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thank you to luncheon sponsor Westman Communications Group and booth sponsors 3% Realty and Canadian Cancer Society. Also, thank you to special presenters, Travel Manitoba.

Every Friday | 10-11am Chamber Office Sponsor: Tim Horton’s Note: Last coffee of the season is Friday, June27 All dates are subject to change. Please check our website for more details and the most current calendar of events. www.brandonchamber.ca

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SIGNATURE EVENT. Thank you to the many sponsors and volunteers that made this evening possible. A Red Carpet Affair

PLATINUM & GOLD SPONSORS

It was a grand evening of glitz and glamour at this year’s Annual Chamber Awards Gala, held March 20th, 2014 at the Keystone Centre. The Red Carpet Affair was a fun evening of great food, wine and socializing with friends and colleagues that featured red carpet interviews with MC’s Tyler Glen and Amber Vandale and a contest for the best selfie of the night. The gala celebrated our business community and honoured leadership, contribution and excellence with the presentation of our distinguished Business Excellence Awards. Congratulations to our award recipients:  Doug Murray—Business Person of the Year  Jeff Cristall—Lifetime Business Builder  The Paw Resort & Wellness Centre—Outstanding New Business  Behlen Industries—Business Excellence  Bernie Chrisp—Community Service Award

SILVER PLUS—MTS Connect Victoria Ave, MNP LLP, Westoba Credit Union Ltd. SILVER—Brockie Donovan Ltd, Canad Inns Destination Centre Brandon, Crane Steel Structures, Guild Insurance Brokers Inc., Leech Printing Ltd., Maple Leaf Fresh Foods Inc., RBC Royal Bank, Remington’s Seafood & Steakhouse, Shopper's Mall, TDS Law, WestFit Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Zeke’s Quality Jewellers Ltd. CHAMPAGNE—Sunrise Credit Union BRONZE—Bromley’s Mens Wear, Burns Maendel Consulting Engineers Ltd., Canexus Chemicals Canada LP, Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Public Insurance, Sargent Lock & Safe Ltd., Vanguard Credit Union Limited, Western Financial Group SUPPORTER—Blinds by Anita, Dick Agencies, Image and Wellness Centre, Leon's Furniture, Brandon Wheat Kings ANNUAL DINNER COMMITTEE Karla Dane (Meighen Haddad LLP), Chad Wallin (blu Kitchen Bar, Joe Beeverz), Terry Carlisle (Cando Rail Services), Ashleigh Salo (Behlen Industries), Lynn Baker, Brad Daniels (Benmarks), Katrina Sigurdson (The Party Professionals & Rental Co.), Stacie Bourgeois (Westoba Credit Union), Rob Lussier (Sutton-Harrison Realty), Nycolle Adams (J&G Homes) SERVICE GROUPS Youth Revolution (Waverly Park School)—Coat Check & Program Delivery; ACC Media Production Students—Award Videos; Bruce Curtis—Auctioneer; Don Taylor—Piper; EnActus—Greetings & Seating; Samantha Van Meer—Photography; Shaun Cameron, Nate Bower, Graham Street—Red Carpet Videographers

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WORKING FOR YOU. Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message (Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 1)

more activities so Brandon business can take full advantage of this opportunity.

It has been a challenging and rewarding year for our staff. Our General Manager, Carolyn Cancade, and our dedicated staff Probably an area I am most passionate and of Allison Reville and Becky Farguson have proud has been our Chamber attention to been thrown many curve balls this past re-focus on agriculture. We committed to year. I have leaned heavily on them and putting attention and resources to rethey have responded with professionalism establishing our Chamber Ag Committee. and results. Under the leadership of Dale McKay, our chair, we have done that in spades. It Bonnie Nay-Draper and her Membership took no arm twisting to assemble a top committee continue to make our Chamber notch group of ag minded folks to be part the envy of cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our size with now over of this, and they worked hard to develop a 600 members. They have continued to strategy that has set the footprint for make inroads in making our Chamber releyears to come. vant and valuable to all of Westman. Karla Dane, our Events Committee chair and her group continued to take our events to another level. It culminated with a completely re-vamped award process and Annual Dinner format that was nothing short of fantastic. We pledged to bring together our award events, to bring more clarity to them and to raise them all to a level of celebration that they are truly worthy of. The celebration of our award winners Doug Murray, Jeff Cristall, Bernie Chrisp, The Paw Resort & Wellness Centre, and Behlen Industries was an evening to remember and reminds us of all we have to celebrate in Brandon.

Our past president Nate Andrews set the stage for me to seamlessly keep our momentum high. I have complete confidence in our future presidents Todd Birkhan and Jordan Ludwig to keep the ball rolling in the right direction, they all made my decision making easy. I have never seen a stronger board of directors at the chamber. These dedicated and engaged folks gave much to you our members in the past year.

100 volunteers. The level to which you responded by becoming involved AND engaged was overwhelming. It is only with your involvement that we were able to move so many projects forward. With leadership comes responsibility. You are all leaders. Continue to use that leadership to make Brandon a fantastic place to do business in. Thank you for allowing me the honor to serve as your President. It was a responsibility that I never took lightly. I thank the staff, volunteers, board of directors, executive committee, and Julia and my family for all making my responsibility successful and rewarding.

Craig Senchuk, President Brandon Chamber of Commerce Craig can be reached at present@brandonchamber.ca

We also challenged all of you to step up and do your part for building Brandon business. I challenged you to get on a committee or event team. We have over

www.brandonchamber.ca

MEMBER EXPERTS.

Canning the Spam: Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation

he prevalence of unsolicited commercial email or “spam” has become a growing issue in the world of e-commerce. The first spam message was sent in 1994 and since that time, email advertising has become a popular tool used by business and other Internet users to relay messages. Back in 2006 I wrote a paper titled “Controlling Spam: The Prospect of Legislative Success” for an International Business Law class. At that time Canada had yet to enact any legislation specifically dealing with the growing issue of “spam” however, the issue was certainly on the radar. By that same time, thirty-eight U.S. states had already passed their own anti-spam laws and the United States President had signed into law the federal Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM Act). On July 1, 2014 the first component of Canada’s own anti-spam legislation will come into force under Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (the “Act”). The intent of the legislation is to ensure that Canadian businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace while at the same time helping to protect Canadians against the growing issues arising from the increased use of electronic messages.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce: http:// computer programs. For many, this could change the way that advertising, promotion www.chamber.ca/resources/casl/ and sales are conveyed to the general pubFrom a consumer perspective it will be inlic via electronic means. teresting to see if, and how, things actually change on July 1, 2014. I do anticipate that, Some of the highlights of the new legislalike most things, it will be a learning curve tion include the following:  Sending commercial electronic messages for some and the flow of everyday “junkmail” will not be immediately curtailed. without the recipient’s consent will be However, the hope for the legislation is that prohibited. This will include messages businesses can continue to rely on electronsent via email and to social networking accounts and text messages sent to cellu- ic communication which has become an everyday staple in our lives while at the lar phones.  Address harvesting (the collection of elec- same time the consumers are afforded protronic addresses through the use of com- tection against the increasing issues arising from this means of communication. puter programs) and the installation of

computer programs without the express consent of the owner of a computer sys- Karla Dane is a lawyer with Meighen Haddad LLP and director on the Chamber Board. tem will be prohibited.  The alteration of transmission data in an electronic message which changes the delivery destination of the message without express consent will be prohibited.  The use of false or misleading representations online for the promotion of product or services will not be permitted.

READY TO VOTE?

It would be prudent as an individual, business or organization to educate yourself on this new legislation to ensure that any electronic email, advertisement, promotion or program being sent out is in compliance with these new requirements. While not all components of the legislation come into What is spam you ask? Spam is generally force right away, the sections dealing with referred to as the unsolicited commercial or commercial electronic messages will be bulk email that is sent without the express challenged first and will be followed by the consent of the recipients. Generally, these sections related to the unsolicited installaemails have a commercial purpose, either tion of computer programs or software on the promotion or sale of products or serJanuary 15, 2015 and the Private Right of vice. It is thought of by many as “junk” mail Action provisions on July 1, 2017. and while there is no single definition of the term spam it does have one universally ac- There are a number of great resources that cepted characteristic – it is unsolicited. contain information on Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation: The new legislation goes beyond dealing The legislation itself: http://lawswith the simple spam message as we know lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-1.6/index.html it and will affect any individual, business or Government of Canada Resource Centre: organization that uses commercial electron- http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/ home ic messages, deals with the alteration of http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/eng/ transmission data, or installs/produces

Delegates: Keep your eyes open for the 2014-2015 Brandon Chamber of Commerce Board of Director’s biographies and electronic voting!

Is your delegates information up to date? If you are unsure of who your delegates are or need to update your company information, please contact Becky at the Chamber office at internal@brandonchamber.ca or 204-571-5340.

The Chamber is the voice of business. Make your voice heard.

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Chamber at a Glance is published six times per year by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce 1043 Rosser Avenue | Brandon, MB R7A 0L5 Phone: (204) 571-5340 | Fax: (204) 571-5347

internal@brandonchamber.ca www.brandonchamber.ca

EDITING & DESIGN Carolynn Cancade

PRINTING Leech Printing Ltd.

2013-2014

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Craig Senchuk—President AGRI-TREND Business Management

Todd Birkhan—Vice-President BDO Canada LLP

Jordan Ludwig—Secretary/Treasurer Brandon Business Interiors

Nate Andrews—Past President Guild Insurance Brokers Inc.

Bonnie Nay-Draper Entrepreneurship Manitoba

Carla Milne MNP LLP

Chad Wallin Joe Beeverz Bar & Grill/blü Kitchen Bar Daniel A. Burns Burns Maendel Consulting Engineers Ltd. Frank Arndt myITsource.ca/MTS Connect - Corral Centre Karla Dane Meighen Haddad LLP Lyndsay Murray Murray Auto Centre Brandon Terry Burgess RBC, Royal Bank Terry Carlisle Cando Rail Services Tyler Rice Powell Construction Ltd.

25th Annual CHAMBER GOLF TOURNMAMENT Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Minnedosa Golf & Country Club

Format: Scramble, Best Ball Catch the Bus: 10:30 am Registration: 11:30 am Shotgun Start: 12:00 pm Dinner: 6:30 pm (Victoria Inn) Entry Fee: $130 per golfer (plus GST) (includes: cart, lunch, dinner, future golf voucher & prizes!)

Dinner Only: $30 (plus GST) Bus Ride: $10 per person (plus GST)

CHAMBER STAFF Carolynn Cancade General Manager

Becky Farguson Internal Relations Coordinator

Who we are: The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is an independent, membership funded, non-profit

Allison Reville External Relations Coordinator

Our Mission: To encourage growth in the Brandon community by fostering a progressive business

organization that represents Brandon business from the grassroots level. environment favorable to enhancing existing and attracting new business.