“Competitiveness is the key to a high quality of life for all Canadians, especially in tough economic times.
The Canadian Chamber is very pleased that the Government has listened to Canadian business because
when our businesses succeed, Canadians and their families succeed,” says Perrin Beatty, President and
CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “Tough times call for decisive action. The commitments to
act in areas like infrastructure, responsible fiscal management, and working with the provinces and
territories to establish common securities regulation are initiatives the Canadian Chamber has long
supported.”

Today’s Speech from the Throne included the Government’s commitment to act on many Canadian
Chamber priorities recommended in letters to the Prime Minister immediately following the October 14th
Federal Election and prior to the November 10th First Ministers’ meeting. Some of these priorities, which
will benefit all Canadians, include:

• Removing barriers to internal trade, investment and labour mobility by 2010.
• Encouraging skilled trades and apprenticeships
• Accelerating, in co-operation with the provinces and territories, the recognition of foreign
credentials
• Ensuring Aboriginal Canadians fully share in economic opportunities
• Recognizing the importance of public infrastructure to create jobs to create the links between
communities and regions to help generate future employment by expediting Building Canada
• Modernizing Canada’s competition and investment laws and implementing many of the
recommendations of the Competition Policy Review Panel to help Canada’s businesses benefit
from foreign investment and innovation
• Modernizing Canada’s copyright laws and ensuring stronger protection for intellectual property
• Working with the U.S. administration to address shared challenges and enhance North American
competitiveness
• Working with the provinces and territories to establish common securities regulation
• Pursuing new trade opportunities in Asia and the Americas, as well as with the EU
• Taking measures to deal with climate change including the development of a North Americanwide
cap and trade system and an effective international protocol.


For additional information on the Canadian Chamber’s top priorities, a more detailed document is available on our website: Articles/Business White Papers

Contact: Katie Anderson
Director, Communications
Office: 613.238.4000, ext.231
kanderson@chamber.ca