Chamber News

Chamber AGM

The WHCC AGM is on May 22nd at the Super 8 on Cole Drive in Windsor. Reception starts at 5:30 pm. There will be a presentation from each of the Executive, nomination of the board and a guest speaker. A light supper will be served. There is no admission cost to our members this year to thank you for your support.

West Hants and Area News

Newcap signals new Valley station

Newcap’s K-ROCK 89.3 is set to hit the airwaves in early summer, competing with AVR for not only listeners and advertisers, but also staff. Twenty-five year AVR news veteran Dave Chaulk is already in place as the stations news director and says after 25 years, the time was right to move forward. “This station is making a firm commitment to local programming and local news by hiring a news team, and it will be great,” said Chaulk from his new digs in New Minas. “There is a real need to get out into the field and report stories here in order to get the quality local news and weather coverage they deserve.” Chaulk is also expected to continue his well-known morning commentaries Valley listeners are well-acquainted with.The station, one of two new classic rock-format licenses granted to Newcap in Nova Scotia, is expected to reach households throughout the valley and reach Mount Uniacke. Program Director Gary Tredwell, who recently moved from Newfoundland recently to oversee the new station, said there is still some engineering and technical work ahead, but so far everything is on schedule. A sister station to Q-104, Cool FM and 780 Kixx is also expected to sign on from Sydney very soon. “We feel our station will be a very positive step to promote community involvement here and be good for the community,” said Tredwell. http://www.ncc.ca (Source: Avondale Media)


Office space available

Red Letter Philanthropy Counsel is leasing three professional offices adjacent to their facilities in Avonian Place on Water Street. These spaces are high end, beautiful fit and finish. Offices available as follows:

• 2 single individual offices (enter to main hallway)

• 1 double office, with executive office and waiting room

To view, click here; inquiries: 902 798 0809 or michelle@redlettercounsel.com 

Barrier-free Public Transportation

What are the barriers to taking a bus? Imagine No Barriers is an inclusive transportation forum to be held at Acadia University on June 3, 2008. This forum will be the launch of a series of events which will work toward solutions to the ongoing challenge of providing affordable public transportation which can be accessed by all Nova Scotians. The event will feature guest speaker Katherine Freund from the Independent Transportation Network Based in Maine, ITNAmerica is an innovative, award-winning accessible transportation system that is rapidly spreading across the US www.itnamerica.org/content/Founder.aspx. Representatives from the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors, Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission, NS League of Equal Opportunities and the Community INC (formerly Valley Disability Partnership Society) will also be participating. To have colleagues added to the invitation list, send an e-mail to info@communityinc.ca or call 902-679-7469


Regional and National Headlines

Review of NS Tax System

Planning is underway for a ‘‘major review’’ of Nova Scotia’s tax system, Finance Minister Michael Baker has confirmed. Baker said the review, which he hoped would be completed by the fall, will include an examination of business and personal income taxes as well as provincial user fees. During a recent interview, Baker said the goal is to put in place ‘‘the best possible tax system,’’ while helping the province’s economy become more competitive. The minister said while the actual scope of the review hadn’t been determined, it would be carried out through a combination of Finance Department staff and outside consultants. ‘‘The idea would be that there would be some kind of document that Nova Scotians could respond to,’’ he said. Small business owners in particular have been vocal about the need for tax measures designed to make the economy more competitive.

However, the 2008-09 Nova Scotia budget tabled late last month, contained only a smattering of minor tax decreases including tax credits for public transit users and for seniors who participate in recreational activities. Meanwhile, the bulk of its projected $105 million in savings to taxpayers were to come from gradual decreases to corporate and personal taxes announced in 2006. Baker warned ahead of time that the stay-the-course budget would reflect growing concerns over a potential downturn in the Canadian economy and hits to the province’s exports because of a stronger dollar and shrinking U.S. market. In light of those concerns, Baker was asked whether it was a bad time to look at revamping the province’s tax system. ‘‘I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to embark on a major review of this kind,’’ said Baker. (Source: Amherst Daily News)


Premiers discuss business issues

Premier Rodney MacDonald agreed with his regional counterparts on economic growth strategies on May 9 during the 15th meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers in Fredericton. The premier says he will host a symposium on research and development and commercialization in collaboration with post-secondary institutions and the business community. The premiers also discussed the importance of the Atlantic Gateway, noting that several key infrastructure projects are being advanced that will contribute to the region's ability to manage increasing international trade with traditional and foreign markets. The premiers acknowledged the valuable contribution of the private sector and urged continued support to develop a competitive, multi-modal transportation system that will link the Atlantic Gateway to key markets. New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Premier MacDonald, P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. (Source: NS Business Journal)


Wildlife Compensation Program

With many farmers experiencing more wildlife on their farms than livestock, the provincial government has announced a new wildlife compensation program valued at $250,000. The funding is to assist commercial farmers with damage incurred by predators. “There’s varmints everywhere but I say deer, raccoons and coyotes, especially, have been quite troublesome and problematic for the farmers,” Agriculture Minister Brooke Taylor told reporters following the announcement. While similar programs have been available in western Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia is the first province in Atlantic Canada to institute such an initiative. The program will be cost-shared between the federal ($150,000) and provincial ($100,000) governments. The provincial money is contingent on the 2008-09 budget passing, which is expected to do so on Thursday May 15th, with support of the NS Liberal Caucus. “It will go a long way to helping address some of the risk that our farmers must face,” Taylor said. The Nova Scotia Crop and Livestock Insurance Commission will administer the program and do site visits to ensure the damage is caused by wildlife. “It’s not full replacement value of animals but it’s a start,” said acting CEO Bill MacLeod. There are different values associated with each animal and crop covered by the program and it is expected to compliment existing insurance programs. To be eligible, farmers must notify the commission within 72 hours of the damage occurring. Details on the Wildlife Compensation Program, including a detailed list of compensation rates, are available through the Nova Scotia Crop and Livestock Insurance Commission at 1-800-565-6371, on the department website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/agri
(Source: The Truro Daily News)

Feds release 2nd report for Red Tape Reduction

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism announced recently that the Government of Canada is taking action to meet its commitment to reduce the paper burden for small to medium-sized businesses by 20 percent this fall. In September last year, 13 departments and agencies completed a baseline count of the obligations imposed on businesses in legislation, regulations, policies and forms. They are now implementing reduction plans toward the 20-percent target to reduce paperwork, which includes streamlining government regulations, eliminating duplicate or overlapping obligations, and reducing the frequency of filing documents. The purpose, of course is to reduce administrative burden on small and medium-sized businesses, which have limited resources, and to improve regulatory efficiency, resulting in fewer obligations and simpler compliance rules for businesses. The Advisory Committee on Paperwork Burden Reduction (ACPBR) submitted its second progress report to the Minister of Industry in May 2008, entitled A Strategy to Reduce Paperwork Burden for Small Businesses in Canada. The report comments federal efforts to reduce the burden of compliance by businesses with information obligations and administrative requirements associated with government rules and regulations.

The lengthy press release can be found here; the report is available in print and online here

What is the origin of the phrase “red tape”?

A shoelace style crimson cotton ribbon was used to bind together United States Federal Court documents from approximately 1790 to 1915. The wide, soft, braided cotton ribbon was used because it did not cut through the paper documents. At the end of each business day the Court Clerk would tri-fold all the documents he completed that day and tie them in a bundle with the crimson ribbon. The documents were placed in a wooden file box (a Woodruf Box) in chronological order to aid reference needs. In order to review a particular court case, one would have to cut the red ribbon to open the bundle of documents and find the record of the legal action. This process eventually entered our modern language in the phrase “cutting through the government red tape”.

Business Events List:

Wednesday, May 14th - Valley Women’s Business Network
Ladies Who Launch Workshop at 7:00 p.m. at the Wandlyn Inn, Coldbrook

Friday, May 16th Nova Scotia Chamber of Commerce's Annual General Meeting
Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre, Antigonish Tel: (902) 863-6308
Fax: (902) 863-2656 Email: contact@antigonishchamber.com
www.antigonishchamber.com

Tuesday, May 20th Monte Solberg, Minister HRSD
Distinguished Speakers Series, Halifax Ballroom, Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel
11:30am - Networking, 12 - 1:30pm- Luncheon Member - $45 Non-$70

Thursday, May 22nd – WHCC AGM
Super 8 Motel, Cole Dr, Windsor. Reception starts at 5:30 pm


Chuckles:

Premier MacDonald’s favourite bus joke?

A blonde from rural Nova Scotia was visiting HRM for the first time. She wanted to see the Provincial Legislature building downtown. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find it, so he asked a police officer for directions, “Excuse me, officer, how do I get to the Legislature?”

The officer replied, “Wait here at this bus stop for the number 54 bus. It’ll take you right there.”
She thanked the officer and the officer drove off.

Three hours later the police officer returned to the same area and, sure enough, our blonde is still waiting at the same bus stop. The officer got out of his car and said, “Excuse me, but to get to the Legislature, I said to wait here for the number 54 bus. That was three hours ago. Why are you still waiting?”

The blonde replied, “Don’t worry, officer, it won’t be long now. The 47th bus just went by!”


E-News info:

E-News Deadline - Our next issue of WHCC E-News will be published on May 27th. You are invited to submit your business news, event or announcement by May 21st