Ontario’s Speech from the Throne Sends Encouraging Signals

Today’s Speech from the Throne with its focus on creating the right environment in Ontario for investment, job creation and skills development, sets the right tone as Ontario prepares for the end of the global recession. Not unlike the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s vision for Ontario as a Magnet for the World -- which describes Ontario as a place with many values that attracts people from all over the globe including opportunity, abundance of educational resources, diversity and freedom to pursue their ...

News in a Nutshell (March 1 – March 5)

HST  Ont. HST funds won't be directed to health, CBC News Politics - Provincial McGuinty trades bleak messages for talk of a bright new future, Globe and Mail Misery loves by-elections, Globe and Mail Election strategy tops agenda at Tory convention, Hudak's first as leader, The Record McGuinty prorogues provincial parliament, Toronto Star Liberals and Tories retain their seats in by-election wins, Toronto Star Conservatives face even tougher battle, Ottawa Citizen Politics - Federal Flaherty shifts right with business-friendly budget, Toronto Star Cautious steps amid fragile recovery, Globe and Mail Transfers intact, Montreal ...

Federal Budget – a play-it-safe plan

Overall, the Federal Budget is a play-it-safe plan to reduce Canada’s deficit to $1.8 billion by 2014-15 from its current $53.8 billion level. The OCC is concerned that spending restraint over the next five years is modest at best; a more aggressive plan to control spending over the next several years would have been welcomed given the severity of the record-level deficit; the reduction in spending will not begin until 2011 and beyond. Government operating expenses have dramatically increased in the last ...

Helping You Tackle the Tough Problems

The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, wants to help you find new ways to think about and solve the really tough problems. These are the thorny issues with no obvious solution that plague every professional, whether in business, health care, or the arts. These problems not are intractable. The Rotman School believes by thinking harder and more creatively about them, you can find a solution that works better for everybody. If you as a leader, or a middle ...

News in a Nutshell (Feb 22 – 26)

HST Harmonized tax worth risk: Chiarelli, Ottawa Citizen Politics - Provincial Dissatisfied Ontario no longer happy camper of Confederation, Toronto Star Gov't hints next Ontario Budget coming March 25, CTV McGuinty to unveil five-year job plan, Toronto Star Expect better...or not, Globe and Mail Politics - Federal  The Chopping Block: Ottawa's job bubble, National Post Tories hand out $75 billion worth of spending restraint, National Post Business Canada is the home of the fearless entrepreneur, National Post  R & D a bright idea for small business, Toronto Star  Bata bring Tata to Toronto, Toronto ...

Workers from India connect to Ontario employers

Would-be new Canadians are speaking directly to potential employers in their field through a videoconference hosted today by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). Engineering technicians and technologists from India are being linked with panellists in Toronto in one of a series of videoconferences, held with the assistance of the Government of Ontario and the Canadian Immigration Integration Project under the OCC’s Global Experience @ Work (GE@W) program. GE@W is helping to integrate Foreign Trained Professionals (FTPs) into the Ontario workforce to ...

Living Wage wrong approach, London Chamber of Commerce

Gerry Macartney, general manager of the London Chamber of Commerce, has written an opinion piece regarding the concept of a living wage which appears in today's London Free Press.  In some communities, the living wage, or the wage needed to ensure a single adult who works full time all year long is above the povery line, has been estimated at $14/hour.  In the article, Gerry argues that a living wage would actually hurt the people it intends to help, and is ...

News in a Nutshell (Feb 15 – Feb 19)

HST How to make the HST easier to swallow, Toronto Star Why the HST is better, National Post Politics - Provincial Opposition to focus on job losses, HST, CTV News Tory MPPs fail to reach agreement on early return, Ottawa Citizen Time for Tory alternatives, not just Tory tirades, Globe and Mail Premiers seek exemption from U.S. green tariffs, National Post Politics - Federal Day won't rule out cuts to bureaucrat wages, pensions, CTV Canada Seeks Diplomatic End to Arctic Dispute, National Post Business Diversification helps Sudbury keep economy in check as ...

News in a Nutshell (Feb 8 – Feb 12)

HST Chamber offering help with HST implementation, Lindsay Post Harmonized Sales Tax will benefit farmers, Leal says, Peterborough Examiner Politics - Provincial Will Dalton McGuinty charm spell third-term victory?, Toronto Star Proroguing under the radar, Globe and Mail McGuinty to lead trade mission to Israel in May, Globe and Mail Business Minister of State meets with business leaders, Standard Freeholder Google Buzz latest star to come out of Waterloo outpost, National Post Good sign: BDC's lending to Windsor businesses is up, Windsor Star Buy American Protectionism kept at bay, National Post Not yet ...

OBAC opener a resounding success

Minister Sandra Pupatello responds to a question at Wednesday's Ontario Business Advisory Council Meeting where about 60 delegates had an opportunity to dialogue with Premier McGuinty and Ministers Dwight Duncan, Sandra Pupatello, Brad Duguid, John Wilkinson and John Milloy.  Topics covered the breadth of economic issues including energy and infrastructure, carbon pricing, post-secondary education investment and tax reform.  The 2010 OBAC series is sponsored by TELUS.  New members are welcome.  Contact Ron Young for details.