March 2015 Inside this issue: GM’s Report Member Spotlight New Members Events Review Ask the Expert Workforce Development
CHAMBER at a glance
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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Framework for Policy Development
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ast June at the President’s In the last few months, through the Changeover luncheon, I talked diligent work of our general manager, we about the Chamber’s priorities for have gotten our framework together and the upcoming year. At that time, I have developed a list of priorities. The discussed that it was the goal of the Brandon Chamber will be taking a policy executive to build a framework for policy to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce development as we felt this was the next annual meeting on May 1-3, 2015, being step in our evolution for advocacy. In held in Brandon, that deals with hog September, upon attendance at the supply. The goal of this policy will be to Canadian Chamber of Commerce annual provide the basis of advocacy to the meeting, the importance of policy Provincial Government - develop rules development was made quite clear. The that allow new barns to be constructed Canadian Chamber actively develops and to allow expansion of existing hog policies on barns with issues of acceptable, but “advocating a policy importance to economically Canadian feasible standards that pushes the city business, that are based to look at a prioritizes the upon scientific policies based evidence not on permanent solution ” upon political importance and hyperbole. Due ability to effect to the well change and advocates these well publicized decrease of hog supply, and developed policies to the federal the importance to our local economy of government. In the 2014 federal budget, the jobs provided by Maple Leaf Foods in it was communicated to the membership Brandon and Hylife Foods in Neepawa, that the Canadian Chamber’s top 10 we determined this was an important policies were all taken into account in issue for us to tackle. the determination of the federal budget because of these lobbying efforts. On a more local level, we are in the process of developing formal stances
Todd Birkhan, Chamber President and advocating plans on a number of issues as well. In 2011, we had our first high water event that, although Brandon stayed mostly dry, has had a lasting effect. At the time, Brandon became paralyzed as water washed up against a temporary dyke along 18th street. Businesses in the flood plain were evacuated, and the Brandon economy felt the effects, feeling that we were closed for business for an extended period of time. In 2014, we had a second high water event that limited access to Brandon. By this time, the permanent dyke built along 18th street played a crucial role in maintaining access to Brandon reducing the prospect of Brandon actually flooding. Yet, what was apparent when First Street was closed was that the local economy slowed to a trickle when reduced to the (Continued on page 6)