Van Loan and Trottier Meet with CUCC

Front Row (L. to R.): Paul Grod – President, Rodan Energy and President of UCC; Zenon Potoczny – President, Shelton Petroleum and President of CUCC; The Hon. Peter Van Loan, Government House Leader; John Iwaniura – President, Caravan Logistics. Middle Row (L. to R.): George Ochrym – Chairman, Consultec Engineering; Bob Onyschuk – CUF President; Bernard Trottier, MP, Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Back Row (L. to R.): Paul Bozoki – CFO, Black Iron; Markian Silecky – Broker, Royal LePage; John Moskalyk – CEO, Carling Energy; Gerry Fedchun – Consultant with Hepburn EngineersAt the request of Bernard Trottier, M.P. for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, a meeting was arranged between the Hon. Peter Van Loan and members of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce (CUCC) on January 16, 2013 held in the CUCC Boardroom at its Head Offfice at 145 Evans Ave.  The focus of the meeting was to give members of the CUCC an opportunity to express concerns, both domestic and foreign, and to provide input for consideration by the government ahead of next month’s anticipated federal budget.  In addition to the CUCC representatives from the Canadian business community, the meeting was also attended by prominent community activists including Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Bohdan Onyschuk, President of the Canada Ukraine Foundation and Zenon Potichny, President of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce.

After a brief networking session, the meeting facilitator, Mr. Trottier, introduced the attendees and made a short PowerPoint presentation outlining Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012.  He then turned the meeting over to Mr. Van Loan who initiated a roundtable discussion where each of the CUCC attendees, in turn, outlined their individual issues and questions that were followed by a response from Mr. Van Loan. 

Major themes addressed during the dialogue included increased RRSP contributions for citizens over 55 years of age; concerns regarding personal and corporate taxation for small and medium sized businesses; continuation of Canada’s free trade negotiations with Ukraine, as well as the possibility of opening an Export Development Canada (EDC) office in Kyiv to promote development of an export market for Canada in Ukraine.  The members also raised issues regarding housing and real estate markets in Canada and attracting foreign investment into those areas, and the need to create an amenable tax structure which would encourage Canadian businesses to reach higher thresholds to counteract foreign commercial domination of domestic markets.

The two-hour discussion would up with Mr. Van Loan expressing his gratitude to Mr. Trottier for facilitating the meeting, noting that it far surpassed his initial expectations.  In conclusion, CUCC President, Mr. Potichny, presented a token expression of thanks to the Hon. Peter Van Loan on behalf of the CUCC. 

For more information, visit website: www.cucc.ca .  



PHOTO

Front Row (L. to R.): Paul Grod – President, Rodan Energy and President of UCC; Zenon Potoczny – President, Shelton Petroleum and President of CUCC; The Hon. Peter Van Loan, Government House Leader; John Iwaniura – President, Caravan Logistics. Middle Row (L. to R.): George Ochrym – Chairman, Consultec Engineering; Bob Onyschuk – CUF President; Bernard Trottier, MP, Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Back Row (L. to R.): Paul Bozoki – CFO, Black Iron; Markian Silecky – Broker, Royal LePage; John Moskalyk – CEO, Carling Energy; Gerry Fedchun – Consultant with Hepburn Engineers