Page 29 - english winter 2017

In total, industry representa- tives met with the Premiers of Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Alberta, five federal Ministers, 18 provincial Ministers, two provin- cial Leaders of the Opposition, and 180 Members of Parliament, Sena- tors, and Members of Provincial legislatures.
The media response across the country was remarkable. The national campaign generated coverage in print, online, televi- sion, radio, and all other news media and produced hundreds of news stories in every province in Canada.
Although the NGCOA Canada and its allied partners had addressed government regulations individually, the Golf Industry Awareness Days were the first major government advocacy push by the industry as a whole.
Since the first Golf Industry Awareness Days, hundreds of meetings with federal and provin- cial policymakers have taken place and these experiences have taught golf industry leaders that a proac- tive and coordinated government advocacy effort is necessary to protect the government’s impact on business.
FEDERAL TAX ALLOWANCE
Over the past five years, NAGA, led by NGCOA Canada CEO, Jeff Calderwood, has been very active, working hard on behalf of the golf industry to continue lobbying the government for changes to the tax code, dispelling false stereotypes of our industry, and bringing greater awareness of who we are to stake- holders.
Canada’s $14 billion golf industry continues to push the federal government to restore tax fairness and allow golf to compete on a level playing field with other client entertainment industries.
Due to a 1971 federal tax reform,golfingexpensesareexplic- itly excluded from allowable busi- nessexpenses,despitethefactthat firms are able to claim 50 percent of the costs of meals, concert tickets, and other forms of client entertain- ment that are much less effective than rounds of golf.
At this point there have been over 200 meetings with MPs, Sena- tors and Policy Advisors from all parties on this important issue. Although the current Liberal federal government is not the friendliest to small businesses, the NGCOA Canada is not giving up and will continue to advocate for tax fairness.
Golf Business Canada 29