Page 6 - April 2024 INSIGHT MAGAZINE.indd

CE0'S MESSAGE

Chamber bell tolls for us all

"The Chamber will create
the necessary momentum
to nurture and champion
success by bringing together
the elements – on all sides
of an issue – to successfully

cultivate all that is good,
Sometimes, yes only sometimes, do At some point, however, we need to get our and can be good, in our

I feel sorry for elected officials at all provincial and federal governments to act, community."
levels. and act as quickly as we need them to act.
Local governments are not any di†erent,

Now is one of those times, however, I also which is what I hear nearly daily from a

firmly believe it is their own doing. Some business owner, contractor, or developer And finally, bringing our community

of the problems the Chamber and our who is in the process of trying to get some together in these ways, working hard on
colleagues provincewide and nationwide of the simplest answers out of City Hall. behalf of our business community and
are dealing with right now is ensuring that These answers can oten take far too long the broader community to fi nd solutions
all the issues related to business can get and require correction. In some ways, I to our problems is at the core of our
highlighted and dealt with. think politicians need to stay out of the existence in this community.
The reason I say much of this is of their way because they oten slow the process It is why we’ve had 100 successful years
own doing is because, in fact, it is either the down, but at the same time should be of building, fostering, influencing, and

action government o cials have taken, or involved to insist on immediate action. leading our community in many di†erent

it’s their inaction. This is, without question, Another vital job we have as a Chamber directions. We connect, we infl uence, we
a result of simply not paying attention to is connecting people. You see, no one has drive, we solve, and we are committed to
what is happening in the world of business.
ever purchased a major product or service you and this community today. We expect
from a company. You don’t buy a car from to be here for at least another 100 years,
This past February, our Chamber the manufacturer; you buy it from the ringing a bell which tolls for you, too.
Board Chair Kristen Danson and I salesperson at the dealership. People are
converged on Queen’s Park in Toronto the endearing element in the equation of Greg Durocher
for the Ontario Chamber network’s sustainable economic prosperity. President & CEO
annual ‘Advocacy Day’ event. Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
So, we embark down the path routinely by
creating programs and events that centre
on connecting one another. Among these
This was a time for us to meet with senior is our new Chamber Circles mentoring
government o cials and lay out the issues program which enlightens participants

and solutions they can implement to on connecting and benefiting from each

assist businesses. While this is extremely other's experiences and knowledge.
valuable and important, this is oten just

the beginning of the process. The wheels As well, our sta† regularly facilitates
of government turn very, very slowly; meetings with buyers and sellers to ensure
Ontario Premier Doug has said this to me that everyone understands we all do
personally and that he is as frustrated as business with people we know, like and
many of us are as well. trust.

6 Spring 2024 www.cambridgechamber.com