ACEC federal election issues: a focus on quality of life and competitiveness
December 1, 2000
By Dave Chalcroft
CHAIR'S REPORTBy the time you read this the outcome of the federal election will be old news. I want to let you know, however, what we did during the campaign on behalf of member firms to advance the ...
CHAIR’S REPORT
By the time you read this the outcome of the federal election will be old news. I want to let you know, however, what we did during the campaign on behalf of member firms to advance the issues of interest to our industry. I also want to briefly outline what we intend to do once the election results are known and the new Parliament begins.
Each mainstream federal political party received a letter from ACEC asking them to answer questions on two specific policy issues of interest to our industry. The first issue focused on the need for a much greater public commitment to the rehabilitation and development of our transportation and municipal infrastructure systems in Canada as an essential national component of a healthy, safe, sustainable and competitive economy and society. Our infrastructure is the bedrock of Canada’s quality of life and is not being adequately or properly managed.
The second issue we spoke to was the need for an improved tax environment for knowledge-based industries in Canada. To remain competitive we need to be reinvesting in our businesses and in our greatest asset, our employees. We also need to be developing new markets in the global arena.
The answers we received from the parties were shared with our members during the campaign so that members would be able to make informed decisions as to the party that best represents our industry’s best interests. ACEC intends to pursue these issues with the new Parliament and make them and the parties’ responses the focus of our 2001 Government Relations Day, February 1-2, 2001 in Ottawa.
DAVE CHALCROFT, P.ENG., CHAIR
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF CANADA
