Building a successful business means nurturing those relationships you create along the way. Here are five relationships that should get most of your attention to ensure your business is a great success.

By Ty Freyvogel

You've probably heard it said that entrepreneurs are "married to their work." It's true. Running a company requires amazing quantities of time, energy, and devotion. But there is one big difference: while matrimony is all about maintaining a healthy relationship with another person, being married to a business is all about maintaining healthy (and profitable!) relationships with several groups of people. In fact, there are five main relationships that small business owners must nurture: relationships with customers, employees, vendors, bankers, and mentors.

Smart entrepreneurs never forget their own success is intertwined with a complex network of other people and organizations. All of those relationships must be constantly tended and nurtured. Even though your interaction with each of these five groups will be different, your reason for creating positive relationships with them will be the same—building a successful business.

Entrepreneurs, here are the five most critical relationships to focus on . . . and why your efforts with these people and organizations can make or break your business:

Customers. Of course, any business owner wants his customers to be happy. But you need to ask yourself, Am I really going that extra mile to ensure that my customers have the ultimate positive experience? Particularly if you're a small business owner, your customers are your bread and butter. Not only do you want them to be so happy with your service that they come back, you also want them to go tell someone else that they loved the experience they had with your business. Learn as much as you can about your customers, so that when their needs change, you can be the one to provide them with the new services they need—not one of your competitors! Constantly ask them, "How can we continue to provide value for your company?" They'll appreciate your efforts to help them be as successful as possible. Always treat them with the utmost respect and do everything in your power to make them happy. That may mean anything from throwing them the occasional discount that's "especially for them" to remembering their kids' birthdays. Take care of all of the little things and not only will your customers be coming back, but they'll be bringing their friends along.

Employees. The importance of seeking out the most dedicated, honest, and passionate employees you can find can't be stressed enough. After all, you have to trust these people to serve your customers, protect your brand, and help your company grow. When you have found the best employees for your business, do everything in your power to hold onto them. Your employees are the face of your organization when you aren't there. So they must feel like they have a stake in the business. Encourage a sense of ownership among your employees. There's no better way to keep them happy than by giving them the recognition they deserve. Have one-on-one conversations with each of your employees on a regular basis to let them share their problems with you and to give you a chance to recognize their good work. Make sure you find out which jobs within the organization they are the most passionate about and put the right people in those positions. Remember, passion equates to hard work! Nurturing your employees to love your business as much as you do will strengthen your company's foundation—and your business will be that much more likely to survive setbacks and grow to great heights.

Vendors. It's important to nurture relationships with those people who aren't necessarily working for you but who service you or your company regularly. This can mean anyone from the package delivery guy who stops by every day to the materials supplier who keeps your warehouse stocked to the designer who keeps your website updated. Think of your vendors as "honorary employees." Show them that you appreciate what they do for you and also that you care about them and their companies. Get their email addresses and cell phone numbers and stay in touch with them. You never know when an emergency might arise in which you could use their help. Your company may not always grow 10 percent a year, and you may have to ask for an extra 30 to 60 days to make your payment. If you already have a good relationship with them, they will be more willing to give you extra time and to work with you to get back on track. Never treat them like they are serving you. Always acknowledge when they have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make you happy. It's also important that you make sure your vendors are getting as much value out of their relationship with you as you are with them.

Bankers. At the beginning of your venture, it's likely that you will require a start-up loan of some kind. Therefore, the best way to nurture your banker is to make sure you always have enough money in your account to make your monthly loan payments on time. With my businesses, I always made sure I had some emergency cash saved up to use in case I had a rough month. You don't want to gain a reputation with your bank as someone who doesn't make loan payments on time. Staying close to your bankers can also help you secure your finances. Make sure you set up a safety system with them to ensure that all of your deposits are going through on time. I once had a manager who was embezzling money from one of my businesses. I had a close relationship with my bank and the bank manager noticed that something wasn't adding up with my account. He called me to let me know and we were able to set up the necessary precautions with them to ensure that no one was ever able to embezzle from me again. Thanks to my close relationship with him, I was able to correct a problem before it became even more costly for me.

Mentors. It's great to have someone to go to when you are first starting your own business and when you run into problems along the way once it is up and running. Find a successful fellow entrepreneur whom you respect and ask her to be your mentor. Always show her the respect she deserves and let her know you are thankful for her help. It's also a great idea to put your mentor on your business's advisory board. It's likely that your mentor will have many connections in many different areas. You want to have a close relationship with her so that she is willing to go that extra mile to help you build your business. Don't contact your mentor only when you have a problem. Regularly contact her even if it is just to give her an update on how things are going. You never know, she might tell you about a contact that could help you in a certain aspect of your business, for instance, or tell you where she sees a hang up. Always send a thank you note after she's done something to help you—it's a small gesture that has a big impact.

The bottom line: no matter how determined, hardworking, and talented you may be, you simply can't be a successful entrepreneur all by yourself. It takes a village to run a company. Never forgetting that fact is critical to your success.

Always be on the lookout for ways to show these key players that you want to be their favorite business owner. Make sure they are getting as much out of the relationship as you are. Show them you care. Creating and nurturing these positive relationships will make being an entrepreneur a hugely rewarding experience. The more people who care about you and your business, the more successful you're going to be.

A Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) investigation revealed that Mr. Willis, owner of 649510 Ontario Limited, operating as Rockcliffe Tavern, understated the corporation's taxable income by more than $120,000 in the taxation years 1998 to 2002. Furthermore, Mr. Willis failed to report in excess of $80,000 of rental income and interest income he earned from private loans and mortgages during the same period. Finally, the CRA investigation determined that Mr. Willis was using corporate funds for his personal benefit, vacations and recreational vehicles, and failed to report the income on his personal income tax returns.

"When individuals or corporations are convicted of tax evasion, they have to pay the full amount of tax owing, plus interest, and any penalties the CRA assesses" said Mr. Miklos, Assistant Director of Enforcement for the local tax services offices. In cases of gross negligence, the Income Tax Act and Excise Tax Act allow the CRA to assess a penalty of up to 50% of the unpaid tax or the improperly claimed benefit. In addition, the court may, on summary conviction, fine them 50% to 200% of the tax evaded, and sentence them to a jail term of up to two years.

Canada - The federal budget provided some good news for Canada’s SMEs, announcing measures that will help them save time and invest for the future. CFIB was pleased to see government increase the lifetime capital gains exemption (LCGE) for small business from $500,000 to $750,000, give details of how they plan to reduce regulations and paper burden, make a major investment in debt reduction, and encourage new investment by enhancing capital cost allowances and other tax measures.

CFIB members had an impact as the government increased the $500,000 LCGE to $750,000 for small business, farmers and fishers, effective immediately. Minister Flaherty recognized CFIB as a leader on this measure in the budget address, which is a direct result of CFIB’s member campaign that produced more than 30,000 action alerts that were sent to MPS across Canada in the weeks prior to the budget. With seven out of ten business owners planning to exit their business over the next 10 years, this measure will go a long way in helping provide entrepreneurs with greater retirement security and will help facilitate investment in the next generation of entrepreneurs.

CFIB is particularly pleased that the government went beyond its commitment to reduce paper burden by 20 per cent, by outlining a plan and setting target dates to achieve this objective. The plan will require key government departments to inventory all their administrative and information requirements, similar to the BC model long advocated by CFIB. The budget also recognizes CFIB as a key player in helping the government achieve its 20 per cent paper burden reduction as co-chair of the Advisory Committee on Paper Burden Reduction.

As debt reduction remains an important priority for CFIB members, the government’s commitment to dedicate $9.2 billion of the $14.1 billion surplus towards debt reduction is welcome news, keeping it on track to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to 25 per cent by 2012-2013. However, CFIB is concerned that for every $1 in tax cuts, there is approx. $2 in new spending in this budget. While the growth in new spending is of concern, the introduction of an Expenditure Management System will help make sure that overall spending remains sustainable in the long term - something CFIB will be watching closely.

Other tax measures that will be welcomed by Canada’s SMEs include enhancements to various capital cost allowances, so that businesses can more quickly write-off their investments in computers and buildings; an increase in the age limit on contributions to RRSPs from 69 to 71 allowing entrepreneurs to continue to save for their retirement and encourage older workers to stay in the labour market; and changes to a variety of tax thresholds will make it less cumbersome for many SMEs to file their taxes. Other key budget measures that will impact our members are outlined in the attached document.

Finally, CFIB was very pleased to be recognized as a leader on two key measures by Finance Minister Flaherty in the budget speech,

“I would like to acknowledge the leadership of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business in championing this reform [increasing the $500,000 LCGE to $750,000], and the effort to reduce the business paper burden by 20 per cent.”

Regional Champions of the Student Entrepreneur Competition are Daniel Warner, owner of UP Media Group Inc. and full time Seneca College post-graduate student as well as Kevin Downe, owner of Mind Over Math and full time student completing a double major at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Regional Champions of the Financial Education Challenge are teams from Wilfrid Laurier University and Queen’s University.

Regional Champions of the Innovation Challenge are teams from Brock University and Queen’s University.

“Each year we are continually amazed at the caliber of the student teams and student entrepreneurs who compete in our Regional Exposition”, comments ACE President Amy Harder. “These are indeed the next generation of business leaders who are quickly moving ahead of their peers by putting their skills to the test while still attending university or college.”

Regional Champions will now move on to the next level of competition, the 2007 ACE National Exposition taking place in Toronto on May 7 to 9. Past National Expo judges include; Mario Pilozzi, President and Chief Executive Officer - Wal-Mart Canada Corp., Lindsay Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer - HSBC Bank Canada, Chris Clark, Chief Executive Officer - PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

In celebration of ACE’s 20th Anniversary, an exclusive portal has been set up to provide timely information on events and activities taking place in 2007, as well as provide a forum to profile 20 stories of inspiration in the 20th year. Please check all 20 profiles from across Canada by visiting www.ace20.ca.

The PwC Survey also found that the smaller the company is, the less metrics they have and use to track productivity—likely due to lack of time, resources and dollars.

“It’s not rocket science. Basically there are two ways to improve performance. Make your people more productive or invest in technology and equipment,” says Eric Andrew, national leader for private company services with PwC. “It should be a permanent, active part of the organization at all levels.”

Interestingly, the PwC Pulse survey of 221 private company CEOs found that despite the widely reported fact that Canadian productivity lags behind the US, only 42.2% of Survey respondents are concerned about this gap. This drops to 35.4% for companies with annual revenues of less than $10 million. Regionally, BC respondents were the least concerned at 38.4%.

Andrew notes, “Regardless of people’s belief or not in a gap between productivity rates of the two countries it’s clearly in the interest of Canadian companies to strive for improvement in our increasingly competitive world.”

The following are themes that PwC sees as fundamental:

· Create a performance culture: The most successful organizations are those where performance is part of the culture, and where people from top to bottom are self-driven to achieve high-levels of performance.

· Focus on people effectiveness: Ultimately it all comes down to people—their capabilities and their effectiveness.

· Focus on revenue and innovation as well as cost: Top line growth is the real test of organizational health—cost cutting merely provides breathing room.

· Resource, manage and govern performance improvement initiatives properly: Don’t undertake a major change initiative if you can’t resource and manage it properly.

· Define and communicate objectives clearly, then empower people to do the job: Top-down direction with bottom-up execution enables bigger improvements that “stick”. The communication battle is never-ending.

· Implement a balanced performance measurement system: Measuring performance effectively is the basis for ongoing improvement.

· Be obsessive about sustainability: Sustainability is not just about being corporately responsible; it is about ensuring value for the long term.

Cambridge - Applying marketing savvy, internet technology, delivery logistics, and a solid retailing concept Green Spot Antiques a division of TwoJJs, sells nationwide and worldwide using their company website, Ebay, phone and email.

"Our customer base has grown from Cambridge to now encompass a 200 km. radius including Toronto, Orangeville, Barrie, Hamilton, K/W, Guelph London, and all points in between.

By offering flat rate delivery to these areas we have been able to achieve a tremendous growth in our sales closures. We provide customers with "search services" and follow through with email containing pictures and prices. Buying decisions are made simple for our many specialist collectors, and they know that we are here to service their needs 24/7.

Recent sales to Ohio, Alberta, Ottawa, include bar billiards tables, setees, coffee tables and other large bulky items. Through Ebay sales and website sales we are able to service customers world-wide using standard postal services, or courier services as the need arises.

Advertising for us means investment in our website, as we hardly consider print advertising. The rapidity of changes in our stock does not easily fall within standard print venues. We are able to offer different weekly coupons online for our internet customers, a tactic which would not be cost-effective using print advertising, for example.

Website development has now been tracked to have supplied over 50% of our business walking into the building as well.

Mr. Jelenic, a partner in Green Spot Antiques, has put his knowledge of the internet and advertising to work for what would normally appear to be a non-related field. Melding the very OLD, with the very NEW has meant a change in the way an antiques business is run - a good change.

We plan to provide these and other services to our customers in the future, so they can shop for the items their hearts desire from the comfort of their own homes.

A bricks & mortar location functions as storage, display, a place for sales, a chit-chat about old stuff, and adds to the TRUST and Authority required to make a purchase of Antiques comfortable for the buyer.

"We look forwards to the future challenges in the business, many of which are being brought about by the rapid changes in technology itself."

Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity proposes an aggressive agenda for increasing Canada’s prosperity and argues that doing nothing is not a worthy option

Toronto – Canadians need to step up to the challenge of closing our prosperity gap with the United States by 2020. With the likelihood of a federal and several provincial elections over the next 18 months, Canadians will have the opportunity to discuss and debate the importance of the prosperity gap and ways to narrow it. The Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity in its Report on Canada 2007, Agenda for Canada’s prosperity, released today at the Conference on Canada’s Prosperity Challenge, proposes a prosperity agenda as a way of invigorating the debate.

Canada’s economy is one of the world’s most successful; and most signs – low unemployment rates, solidly performing stock market, and a strong Canadian dollar – reinforce this. But it is not meeting its full potential. More worrisome, two decades ago, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Canada was only $3,300 (constant 2005 dollars) below – or 10 percent behind that in the United States. Over the past two decades, we have drifted further behind US performance – and Canada now trails the United States by $9,200 or 18 percent. GDP measures the value created by workers and firms in Canada from the human, physical, and natural resources in the country.

Roger Martin, Dean of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and Chairman of the Institute expressed the concern that, “Canada’s stealthily slow drift of under achievement could erode our economic strength, while most Canadians remain unaware of the problem.” With current trends in Canada’s economic performance, it is possible that the prosperity gap could nearly double to over $17,000 per capita by 2020. “That’s why doing nothing is not a worthy option,” said Martin.

On the positive side, Martin added, “Closing this prosperity gap would have real benefits for Canadian families.” On average, each family would gain $11,900 in disposable, after tax income – every year. Governments across Canada would generate an additional $108 billion in revenue every year. This added revenue potential would easily pay for the kind of spending increases that are being proposed around the country and still leave room for the biggest tax cut in Canadian history by a wide margin.

The Institute’s Agenda for Canada’s prosperity highlights the significant changes required in attitudes, investment patterns, motivations to do business, and market and governance structures across the country.

As Martin said, “We are calling for a shifting of Canadians’ overall attitude from collective complacency to a shared determination to close the prosperity gap. If federal and provincial party platforms over the past few elections are any guide to public attitudes, it’s clear that issues related to our competitiveness, productivity, and prosperity are not seen as centrally important to the public. We need to raise the volume on these issues.”

Lagging investment is a major factor in the prosperity gap, and the Institute continues to urge a shift from consuming today’s resources to investing in future prosperity. Our business leaders need to increase their investment in machinery, equipment, and software, particularly information and communications technology (ICT). Our federal, provincial, and local governments have been increasing public spending on health care and social services at the expense of investments in education and infrastructure. We need to rebalance spending priorities. Individuals, especially the young, need to ensure they get as much education as possible. The report praised initiatives by some provinces to increase the age when students can quit school.

Our tax system needs to be smarter to motivate business entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. Canada has among the highest tax rate on business investment in the world. A smarter tax system would encourage more business investment to increase the number of high paying jobs in Canada. As Martin observed, “most other governments around the world understand that taxing business investment at high rates is just counter productive. Here in Canada we should shift from being laggards to innovators in tax reform.” Among the Institute’s recommendations are for provincial governments to eliminate immediately the tax on capital where it still exists; to convert the existing provincial sales tax systems where they still exist to a value added tax like the GST; and for the federal and provincial governments to work together to attack features of the tax and social benefit clawback system that impose punitive effective tax rates on lower income individuals and families working to climb the economic ladder.

Finally, the Institute makes recommendations to strengthen market and governance structures to enhance prosperity. “Our governments have done a good job in providing the basic support for a competitive economy – including decent infrastructure and good primary and secondary education. But they need to enhance areas of more specialized support, especially to improve the quality of venture capital financing innovative firms and to graduate more students with business degrees.” The Institute also calls for reduced regulation of industries to enhance competitive pressure in them, thereby increasing innovation, productivity, and prosperity. In addition, it proposes more negotiations to develop bilateral trade deals to enhance market potential for our industries as well as providing greater competitive pressure to increase innovation and productivity.

Some of our current governance structures in Canada can inhibit productivity growth, and the Institute urges the federal and provincial governments to focus fiscal federalism discussions on how they can strengthen competitiveness and prosperity in all regions of Canada. Martin said, “We should be trying to make the pie bigger rather than debating how to divide the pie.”

The Institute makes specific recommendations in its 2020 Challenge:
Agenda for Canada’s prosperity.

Challenge 2020: Agenda for our prosperity

Attitudes: From collective complacency to shared determination to close the gap

-Recognize imperative for closing prosperity gap
-Commit to taking the extra steps to increase our productivity and our capacity for innovation and upgrading


Investment: From consumption today to investment for tomorrow

-Increase investment in machinery and equipment, particularly information and communications technology
-Encourage Canadian youth to invest in their educational attainment
-Increase investment in post secondary education
-Rebalance government spending away from consumption to investment


Motivations: From unwise taxation to smart taxation

-Increase Capital Cost Allowances to match economic depreciation
-Eliminate the capital tax in Canada where it still exists
-Convert provincial sales tax to a value added tax, where applicable
-Lower perversely high marginal tax rates for individual Canadians
-Assess radical new approaches to taxation
-Reduce or eliminate Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) and focus on reducing taxes on business investment overall


Structures: From general support to specialized support and competitive pressure

-Continue to improve the quality of venture capital
-Increase business education
-Reduce regulation to increase competitive pressure
-Reduce counter-productive labour regulations
-Continue to pursue bilateral free trade agreements
-Rebalance fiscal federalism to encourage investment in have-not regions
-Introduce employer experience rating to Employment Insurance

The complete report can be downloaded directly from: http://www.competeprosper.ca/public/tor07.pdf (1.86MB)

Kitchener — Bingemans, owner and operator of Bingemans FunworX, one of the largest indoor playlands in south western Ontario, is excited to announce a major expansion ready for June 1st, 2007

Just weeks after the announcement of the addition of 4 new giant waterslides at Big Splash, Bingemans is adding over 10,000 sq. ft to the existing 25,000 sq. ft. FunworX Indoor Playland. The addition will include an observation space overlooking FunworX and new attractions and that will give kids even more things to do year-round.

Hole-In-Fun glow-in-the-dark mini golf will offer golfers 18 holes of props and obstacles that are drenched in fluorescent graphics creating an environment that is out of this world. Hole-In-Fun will also be wheelchair accessible.

Ropes Course will have participants traverse horizontally across activities/elements two stories in the air while safely secured to the overhead tracking system. The new Ropes Course along with the existing climbing wall inside at FunworX now makes a great combination for parties and corporate team building events.

The Arcade will be expanded significantly to include even more arcade and redemption games. The addition will include the most recent video games on the market including race games where friends can challenge each other side-by-side.

“These new attractions will now give kids of all ages the chance to enjoy year-round excitement at FunworX. We’re on the road to making FunworX and Big Splash one the largest family entertainment destinations in Ontario.” says Bingemans General Manager Mark Bingeman.

Hole-in-Fun and the Ropes Course will join Bingemans FunworX’s many other attractions — which include a huge interactive three-level indoor playground, arcade and redemption games of skill and chance, and private themed rooms for birthday parties.

WATERLOO – Kevin Downe, a young entrepreneur in the double-degree business and math program offered through Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, has been named one of two Ontario champions in the 2007 Student Entrepreneur Competition.

Downe and another Ontario finalist will proceed to the regional round of the competition taking place in Ottawa March 16.

The competition – which is sponsored by Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE), a national charitable organization, and supported by CIBC Small Business – involves a business-case presentation to a panel of business professionals. Each participant delivers a 20-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session.

The top two contestants from the regional round go on to the national competition in Toronto May 9.

"I feel prepared," says Downe. "I've had a lot of great support from the Laurier ACE team."

Downe started a student-tutoring business, Mind Over Math, in 2003 as a way to make some extra money during the summer. To date, his company has tutored more than 250 elementary and high school students. As a full-time student in the innovative business-and-math program offered by Laurier in partnership with UW, Downe combined his passions for both teaching and business.

"This was a great way to work as a mentor and to help people see math in a different way," says Downe. "I also caught the entrepreneurship bug."

"We are so proud of the entrepreneurial spirit that we see in all of our students," says Laurier dean of business and economics, Ginny Dybenko. "We are particularly thrilled for Kevin, and wish him the best of luck with the next level of competition and in the future."

The top winner in the national competition will receive a $10,000 cash prize and be named the 2007 Student Entrepreneur of the Year.

Program Gives Young Ontarians Access To Successful Role Models

TORONTO - Young women in high school and post-secondary school interested in pursuing careers in business received encouragement from role models today at the first-ever Young Women Entrepreneurs Conference, organized by the Ontario Government, with the support of George Brown College and Greater Toronto Area school boards.

"We want to stimulate a culture of entrepreneurship among our youth and women to explore the rewards of what owning your own business has to offer," said Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Harinder Takhar. "That's why we're hosting this conference, the first of its kind in Ontario to give young women the resources they need to succeed."

"This is an excellent opportunity for young women to pursue their dream of owning and running their own businesses," said Minister of Women's Issues Sandra Pupatello. "As Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, I applaud this effort to help young women succeed."

Students heard from an impressive line-up of successful women entrepreneurs who shared their experiences about starting and running a business and the required qualities and skills needed to prosper. The students learned about the many resources available to help them if they choose entrepreneurship as career.

Guest speakers included: Lynn Hazlett, CEO, Primex Customs and Logistics Inc.; Julie Henderson, President and Co-Owner, The Helicopter Company Inc.; Priya Ramanujam, Co-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Urbanology Magazine and Neena Kanwar, President and CEO, KMH Cardiology and Diagnostic Centres.

The Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship has several programs aimed at nurturing an entrepreneurial mind-set and skills in Ontario's youth:

<< - Future Entrepreneurs helps students in grades 7 and 8 develop the creative, planning and risk-taking skills they will need as entrepreneurs.

- The Secondary School Business Plan Competition gives high school students a chance to create a business plan and compete with their peers throughout the province for cash awards that can be used for educational and career pursuits.

- Summer Company provides hands-on business training and awards of up to $3,000 to help young entrepreneurs aged 15-29 start and manage their own businesses. >>

The government also recently announced an investment of more than $2.2 million in the Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships initiative which provides grants to non-profit organizations for programs that promote the development of entrepreneurial skills in youths aged 12-29.

"As a former entrepreneur, I'm familiar with the challenges, opportunities and satisfaction involved in traveling this unique path," Takhar said. "I know how important it is for entrepreneurs to have encouragement and support. That is why my ministry offered this very important conference."

The number of Ontario businesses owned or co-owned by women jumped from 150,000 in 1981 to 450,000 in 2001 according to a federal government report entitled "Sustaining the Momentum: An Economic Forum on Women Entrepreneurs." This conference was designed to build on that success.

“Environmental issues and energy conservation has emerged as a top concern among Canadians," was the introduction to a member survey emailed to all CFIB members this morning (02.22.2007).

The survey pays special attention to the view of "how businesses deal with environmental issues". "Businesses who use energy are continually needing more and more energy" said Publisher of Exchange Magazine, Jon Rohr, "It's a challenge” Rohr states that at the same time a whole new energy conscious market develops and that becomes a major economic driver that “if you can catch that wave” would provide opportunity for some, but for others a “huge amount of frustration.”

As a service to small and medium sized businesses, CFIB wants to ensure that the needs and concerns of Canada's small- and medium-sized enterprises are considered as these environmental policies that effect them are developed.

Other Questions as by the CFIB:

Do You Need Another Property Tax?

City governments across Canada are looking to Vancouver to see if their new "parking tax" is going to take hold. CFIB is working hard to ensure that it doesn't succeed and become yet another municipal government money grab. The potential implications for businesses across the country are huge. Here's the background. Businesses in Greater Vancouver must now pay an additional property tax on the area of their property used for "parking". This includes driveways, walkways, bicycle racks, elevators, landscaped green spaces, and storage areas. The annual tax is levied at the rate of $0.78 per square metre--in addition to the property taxes already payable on the area.

Our members are concerned about this tax for a number of reasons. First, it is assessed only on non-residential properties. Businesses already pay many times their proper share of property taxes; the new tax makes the tax gap even worse.

Second, the tax is assessed by a regionally appointed authority. We believe it is wrong, or even unconstitutional, for an unelected body to have taxing authority.

CFIB has been very active on this issue, mobilizing SMEs to send more than 4,000 faxes to the board of TransLink and BC's Minister of Transportation, meeting with mayors and MLAs, and creating the Park the Tax Coalition. Our efforts have spurred hundreds of stories in the local and national media.

There have been some victories along the way. Our fight stalled implementation of the tax by one full year and forced a rate reduction from $1.04 to $0.78 per square metre. Our ultimate aim is to overturn the tax entirely. However, other cities across the country have expressed interest in the tax. Could yours be next? Let's stop this tax where it started - Battleground Vancouver.

For more information click here.

Big unions shouldn't have the right to put my small business at risk!

We need your help to stop a federal bill (known as Bill C-257) that will ban the use of replacement workers during a strike at federally regulated companies. This means that fundamental services such as railways, trucking, and telecommunications could shut down completely, crippling the distribution of goods and services right across Canada. This proposed legislation is confusing and unclear, and will only complicate labour relations that have been relatively stable for almost 10 years.

This bill is moving quickly through to law and is only one vote away from being passed by the House of Commons. We need your voice to stop this from moving forward - you need to contact your local MP TODAY and let them know that you are worried about the impacts of this bill on your business and on Canada's competitiveness.

CFIB encourages you to contact your MP directly by filling out the Online Action Alert. MPs need to hear from small and medium-sized businesses in their riding. Your input is critical to defeating bill C-257.

Awards to Be Presented in Germany in September

FAIRFAX, VA- - The Fourth Annual International Business Awards marked the launch of its call for entries today with a revised list of categories and plans to stage its awards gala outside the U.S.A. for the first time.

Hailed as "the business world's own Oscars" (New York Post, April 27, 2005), The International Business Awards are the only global, independent awards program honoring outstanding achievements in business.

Entry kits for The 4th Annual International Business Awards may be requested at www.stevieawards.com/iba. The 2007 awards will honor accomplishments made in 2006. The entry deadline is April 16.

All organizations worldwide may participate in the IBAs -- public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Entries may be submitted in dozens of categories ranging from Best Multinational Company to Best Advertising Campaign. For a full list of categories visit: http://www.stevieawards.com/pubs/iba/awards/171_695_3021.cfm.

Multiple awards based on geography will now be conferred in a number of the most popular categories. Entries may be submitted in multiple languages including Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

icknamed the Stevie(R) for the Greek word "crowned," the awards, designed by the same company that makes the Oscar and Emmy, will be presented at a gala banquet