2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

• Steve Rhone, Weston Forest | Chair

• Sameer Sharma, Crown Group of Hotels | Vice-Chair

• Lucie Shaw, Nurse Next Door | Immediate Past Chair

• Crystal Reedie, RBC | Treasurer

• Adam Nowak, Gallagher Insurance

• Jonathan Borrelli, KMB Law

• Trevor McPherson, MBOT President & CEO (Ex-officio)

DIRECTORS:

• Amanda Pautler, University of Toronto Mississauga

• Atul Sharma, Greater Toronto Airports Authority

• Dr. Mo Amin, AstraZeneca Canada

• Janet Wardle, MHI Canada Aerospace Inc.

• Joanne Islip, Sheridan College

• John McKenna, McKenna Logistics Centres

• Linda Kern, The Kern Group, Inc.

• Malaika Mendonsa, Grant Thornton LLP

• Parveen Dhupar, BTI Brand Innovations Inc.

• Paul Meo, NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada

• Steve D’Agostino, Avega Inc.

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The Voice Of Business In Mississauga

Established in 1961, Mississauga Board of Trade proudly serves as a the Chamber of Commerce for the sixth largest city in Canada – the third largest city in Ontario. Mississauga Board of Trade represents all businesses in Mississauga. MBOT’s large, diverse and active membership has made us one of the most vibrant business associations in Canada. As the “Voice of Business” we advocate on policy issues that impact local business at all levels of government, and are influential in helping to shape policy decisions. MBOT also offers a wide variety of valuable business services and professional development programs, networking events and marketing opportunities, to help business grow, prosper, and get connected.

PUBLISHER: Trevor McPherson President & CEO ceo@mbot.com

EDITOR: Anthony Ferreria Public Affairs Specialist aferreria@mbot.com

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TREVOR McPHERSON President & CEO Mississauga Board of Trade

Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has often remarked about the close relationship he enjoyed with both Presidents Reagan and George H. W. Bush. There were many areas of common purpose, including of course a strong belief in the benefits of free trade in supporting economic growth and increased prosperity. From that very first Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 1987 through its subsequent iterations including the addition of Mexico as a partner to the agreement when the first NAFTA was signed in 1994, a foundation for a longstanding trilateral trade agreement (now known as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement or CUSMA), was established.

Coming to a final agreement on the first NAFTA was a challenge. Two key protections needed to be included in any final agreement for it to get through the U.S. Congress: labour and environmental standards. President Clinton was able to have these added to the final text and the first NAFTA was signed into law on December 8, 1993. This was not the first time that environmental policy had featured prominently in Canada’s relationship with the United States. Throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s, the big issue was combatting the effects of acid rain. Ultimately, seven years of high-level advocacy with our American friends together with concrete, “lead by example” action in Canada led to the signing of the Acid Rain Accord