First let me thank you all for providing me the opportunity to present to you.
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce represents 75 chambers and in excess of 10,000 businesses across Manitoba. It is the largest cross-sectoral organization in Manitoba and represents businesses from small to large companies. You've received a brief that we've provided, and I hope you find it interesting.
First, let me say that we have examined the Canadian Chamber of Commerce presentation and support their recommendations, which I understand they previously submitted to you. You will, however, note that while supporting the Canadian Chamber, we challenge you to join us in thinking outside of the box. You will see that this presentation crosses the barriers between business and labour and asks you to think past those policies that government frequently places in silos, and think globally with a national context.
One of those areas of thinking outside of the box is what we in the Manitoba Chambers call the “Great Jobs Agenda”. It's based upon developing a creative capital mindset by judging all policies against the basic standards of whether they are empowering each individual to obtain employment that fully taps into their creative potential. We encourage programs that measure their outputs, not only their inputs. It aligns with those who have skills. We example the aboriginal peoples, immigration. With appropriate jobs, it helps enhance skills to meet the needs of the workforce.
We caution you against simply pursuing an agenda of productivity. For all its considerable benefits, the productivity agenda has flaws. One of the things is that workers often equate productivity with fewer jobs. Such fears are hardly stuff of unifying agendas. And we delude ourselves if we do not see an element of truth to workers' concerns in this regard.
A significant element of productivity is mechanization and technological innovation. And most international economists agree that the vast majority of job reductions are traceable not to outsourcing or globalization, but to consequences of labour-saving technologies. So we caution you not to take a productivity agenda by itself and look at all aspects of the economy in a sort of global face.
We leave you with the contents of the “Great Jobs Agenda” and we hope it will encourage discussion among your committee.
Thank you or your patience, and we encourage you to think outside of the box.