Advocacy In Action

Local & Regional

Mississauga to Elect New Mayor on June 10, 2024

Mississauga will be electing a new mayor in 2024. In the City’s 50-year history, it has only had four mayors – and, only once since the 1970s has a new mayor been elected (Bonnie Crombie in 2014). When election day comes, the residents of Mississauga will make a choice that will shape the city’s direction for many years to come.

MBOT will be engaged in the public debate in the weeks leading up to June 10th, including hosting a debate among mayoral candidates on May 29th, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Toronto, Sheridan College, and Metamorphosis Network.

Provincial

OCC Advocacy Day

Trevor McPherson and Brett McDermott represented MBOT at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 9th annual Advocacy Day. Some of the issues that Trevor, Brett, and the chamber network spoke about with decision-makers at Queen’s Park include labour shortages, red tape reduction and the building of infrastructure. The chamber network has advocated for these issues for many years, and we are seeing success, especially with the Ontario Government’s work on making it easier for high school students to become skilled tradespeople.

Red Tape Reduction

Brett McDermott represented MBOT in a meeting with MPP Andrew Dowie, Parliamentary Assistant to Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Key points highlighted with Mr. Dowie include:

• bolstering interprovincial and international trade;

• implementing Ontario’s life sciences strategy;

• continuing to pursue Ontario-US state MOUs; and,

• reducing red tape for business.

Mr. Dowie mentioned how the Ford Government has embarked on preparing its next red tape reduction bill. He specifically asked chamber members and business leaders across the province to provide suggestions for red tape reduction. If you have any suggestions or ideas for reducing red tape on business in Ontario, please feel free to contact Brett McDermott at bmcdermott@mbot.com.

Federal

CANADA-US ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY; MINISTER NG MEETS WITH MBOT

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has embarked on a Canada-US Engagement plan. Federal Ministers Hon. Francois-Phillippe Champagne and Hon. Mary Ng as well as Canadian Ambassador Kirsten Hillman are the three government officials who are leading these efforts. The Canadian Chamber, along with MBOT, are highlighting the importance of one of the most significant trading relationships between two countries in history.

In keeping with the Canada-US engagement efforts, Minister Mary Ng led a roundtable discussion with MBOT members on March 6. Minister Ng reported that Canada is the number one importer from 35 of 50 U.S. states. According to Global Affairs Canada, in 2022 $1.2 trillion in trade occurred between Canada and the U.S.

Look for more efforts from MBOT, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber on this issue. The Canada-US trade relationship is a tremendously successful partnership that needs to be enhanced and grow in the years to come

Banning Replacement Workers

In a time when governments across the country are trying to increase productivity in the Canadian economy, the federal government is embracing policies that will reduce productivity. This is one of the reasons why the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is opposing federal legislation that will ban replacement workers. Here are some additional reasons to oppose the legislation:

• reduced worker wages;

• reduced investment in the economy; and,

• increased length of strikes.

The Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab states that one-quarter of businesses say that they see supply chain issues continuing to impede economic growth. Banning replacement workers will only increase supply chain bottlenecks like those that have existed in the past year at BC ports, the Port of Montreal and in the St. Lawrence Seaway.