Your membership dollars at work (March 01, 2000)
March 1, 2000
By
Canadian Consulting Engineer
The February 28 federal Budget announcement of a six-year $3.65 billion dollar federal commitment to Canada's infrastructure is good news for all Canadians and is a good example of the positive role y...
The February 28 federal Budget announcement of a six-year $3.65 billion dollar federal commitment to Canada’s infrastructure is good news for all Canadians and is a good example of the positive role your national association can play in support of your business interests.
At our 1999 National Convention in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, NB the membership of ACEC agreed to make infrastructure renewal our top government relations priority for the year. In support of that campaign, member firms across the country wrote letters during the summer and early Fall to alert elected public officials at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of our position. ACEC partner organizations, federal bureaucrats and politicians from all sides of the House of Commons were reminded of our concerns through a targeted ACEC information flyer. Many members took the time to follow up their letters with individual meetings with their federal Members of Parliament.
Positive signals of our efforts were received in October, when the federal government announced it would introduce a new national effort beginning in 2001. In early November, ACEC submitted an industry brief to Paul Martin’s Pre-Budget Consultation process. We also appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance to re-enforce the industry’s call for a new national program to preserve our quality of life, improve the health and safety of Canadians and strengthen Canada’s productivity and competitiveness.
In early December, Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray accepted ACEC’s invitation to participate in our Government Relations Day, a program that focused on infrastructure renewal, improved management practices and the need to develop new infrastructure capacity. We took the occasion to inform the Deputy Prime Minister that an investment in the 2000 Budget for pre-construction activity was necessary if construction was to begin in 2001.
ACEC’s messages have been heard and our influence has been felt. My congratulations and thanks to all those across the country who worked throughout the year to achieve this remarkable result.
JOHN BOYD, P.ENG., CHAIR
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF CANADA
