ALL PARTY ENTREPRENEUR CAUCUS HOSTS SUCCESSFUL INAUGRUAL MEETING

Last Wednesday evening, in the middle of Small Business Week, more than 25 Members of Parliament, including two Ministers, along with dozens of members from the business community attended the inaugural All-Party Entrepreneur Caucus meeting in Centre Block.
This meeting was co-chaired by NDP MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni), Conservative MP Dean Allison (Niagara West) and Liberal MP Ruby Sahota (Brampton North) and was attended by MPs from all three major parties. It was also co-hosted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), key partners of the Caucus who have long facilitated MPs of all stripes working together to support small business.
“As a former small business owner and Executive Director the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, I know that small business owners take large risks and we want to ensure that decision-makers understand the challenges and opportunities facing them.” said Johns.
The Entrepreneur Caucus was first launched in 2012 to recognize the importance of Small and Medium Enterprises to the Canadian economy. The caucus is meant to be an interactive small business forum that will help elected officials connect with and better understand the priorities, concerns, and challenges of Canada’s small business owners.
MP Dean Allison noted, “As a small business owner in the Niagara area for close to 20 years, I understand the challenges small business owners face. As an all-party caucus, we’ll put our efforts together, engage stakeholders and recommend common sense solutions. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important file.”
The members of the Caucus noted that they are eager to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of this country through policies that help Canada’s entrepreneurs. The Entrepreneur Caucus will delve into issues such as small business taxes, family business transfers, red tape, succession planning for entrepreneurs, credit card fees, and anti-spam legislation.
“Entrepreneurs and owners of small- and middle-sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy. I look forward to working with this all-party caucus as it allows Parliamentarians to better support the needs of this section of the business community and ensure that they have a voice Parliament,” stated Co-Chair MP Ruby Sahota.
The Entrepreneur Caucus will reconvene for the next meeting early in the New Year.