Exchange Magazine

MARCH/APRIL 2005 – $4.95
l
MAGAZINE FOR BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Exchange
HAPPY
FEET
WARM
HEART
BONNY
BONNY JENSEN
JENSEN PREFERS
PREFERS
RUNNING
RYNNING SHOES TO NYLONS
PA R T T H R E E
BULLISH
ON CHINA?
PLUS:
• Fun with Futures
• Facing failure
• The Fixation with China
PREPARED FOR UNIVERSITY...
AND FOR LIFE
At St. John’s-Kilmarnock, education is
“the development of the whole person.”
“Education in its best sense is the development of the whole person.” That is just one
of the mottos at St. John’s-Kilmarnock School. They also describe SJK as “A school that
really cares for their students.” And they refer to “a tradition of excellence.”
This is good promotional material. But at St. John’s-Kilmarnock, it is not simply talk –
this is a school that puts their principles into practice, walks the talk, and does everything
possible to prepare their students to be successful – at SJK, in university and, most importantly, in life.
As Director of Enrolment and Marketing, Suzanne Poole says, “Everything we do here
is based on the students. They are our main focus.”
Duncan Hossack, Head of SJK, believes the path to success for his students is prepared
through the relationships fostered at the school. “There is an amazing, respectful relationship between the younger learners and the older learners, between the students and
the teachers. For a school to succeed, it has to work as a community and as a social institution. We do that very successfully.”
According to SJK students past and present, the school does almost everything very
successfully.
Emily S. is in Grade 12 at SJK: “I really enjoy the atmosphere at SJK. The people are
friendly, our class sizes are small and the teachers are approachable and always offer extra
help. SJK is providing me with a good solid base in academics. Students are taught to be
prepared and are given the opportunity to learn extra skills. Because of the academic time
requirements and the number of extracurricular activities offered, students learn valuable
time management skills and are better prepared for university.”
Dr. Paul Ling, a Guelph Orthodontist, graduated from St. John’s-Kilmarnock in 1987.
He understands SJK prepared him for far more than University: “The school encouraged
me to excel, to do everything I was capable of doing, and more. The personal encouragement I received in my Independent School education at SJK gave me the opportunity and
the tools to find a way to obtain my dream. SJK’s contribution to my life was invaluable.”
Duncan Hossack is not surprised at such positive comments. “Our students are excited
to be here and our graduates are proud,“ he says.
A volunteer Board governs St. John’s-Kilmarnock as a not-for-profit Independent
school. The school has set remarkable standards. With a low teacher to student ratio, the
average class size for the school, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, is 18.5 students.
Academic standards are very high serving students who are planning to attend university, striving to be accepted by the university of their choice; and 98% of graduates realize
that goal.
This level of excellence begins in the Lower School at SJK, where from Junior
Kindergarten to Grade 5, the school teaches the International Baccalaureate’s Primary
Years Programme, an internationally-recognized gold standard in education. Through the
Middle School and Upper School levels, the academic emphasis follows the university
preparatory stream of high school studies.
Says Poole, “We set the bar very high for the
students with an emphasis on academic
achievement and goal setting to help students reach full personal growth.”
Everyone involved with SJK agrees the
school excels at recognizing and fostering
individual students and developing the
whole person.
Hossack points to the key element in this
holistic approach: the teachers. Poole sums
up the qualifications to teach at SJK: “Our
teachers have to be absolutely the best.”
Hossack adds, “Our teachers are excellent. They are
totally involved in the care of our students, giving hours
and hours beyond the classroom.”
Those hours are spent in such activities as the strong
athletics program, and cultural pursuits such as drama
and music. The school also encourages “an international perspective” in the students, through an incredible
menu of exchange and foreign travel opportunities as
well as a full international program with students from
around the world. Current programs include
exchanges, sports travel or development opportunities
with countries including France, Mexico, Australia,
Peru, Ecuador, and Namibia.
SJK teacher James Cako is the wrestling coach leading the Namibia excursion. “We will be the guests of the Namibia Wrestling Federation,
who have invited us to help them develop and improve the sport of wrestling in their
country.” The visit will include “a Safari in Etosha State Park and a trip to the Kalahari
Desert and Namib Desert.”
This trip completely meets the goal, as expressed by Duncan Hossack, of providing
opportunities “to expose our students to what young people in different parts of the world
are thinking and feeling.”
These activities go a long way toward the development of the “whole person”, but SJK
goes one step farther. Suzanne Poole notes the first building visitors see as they enter the
campus is the chapel; and Duncan Hossack says “We are not ashamed to say we teach values, here. We are not sectarian, but we encourage our students to be the leaders of tomorrow, and to be happy and successful people.”
It all adds up to a complete educational package: academic, athletic, social, creative and
spiritual.
St. John’s-Kilmarnock was founded in 1972; today, with an enrolment of 475 students,
it offers everything needed in a school where the specific focus is on developing each individual student to his or her full potential. From state-of-the-art computer facilities (the
school has been wireless for three years) to excellent visual arts, music, drama and athletic programs, students develop confidence, skills, and academic strength while they prepare
for university and the adventures of life beyond.
Katie M. is in Grade 8: “SJK has taught me to be organized and to challenge myself to
learn more and to work harder. The teachers are very professional and I feel I am being
well prepared for the challenges of high school. I have made some good friends and I love
the extracurricular sports.”
Ian C., who will graduate from SJK this Spring, sees the values he will carry with him
when he leaves the school: “I would highly recommend SJK to any student who is willing to learn. Since joining the School I feel very comfortable relating to adults and my
peers. I have been encouraged and challenged to be the best I can be. The teachers here
have a passion for teaching, they make learning interesting and students can receive oneon-one help when needed. Because the class sizes are small I get to know my teachers and
coaches well. I believe having an Independent School education is preparing me very well
for university.”
The St. John’s-Kilmarnock campus is located at 2201 Shantz Station Road, off Highway
7 between Kitchener and Guelph, only minutes from Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and
Cambridge. Full bus routes are available.
Applications are currently being
accepted for September 2005 and 2006.
For more information about
St John’s-Kilmarnock School,
contact Suzanne Poole,
Director of Enrolment & Marketing
(519) 648-3602, Ext. 20,
or visit the school online at
www.sjkschool.org.
THE ENTIRELY NEW 2006 LEXUS GS
THREE MODELS. ONE IGNITION BUTTON.
LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN.
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Destined to create a powerful impact of its own, the style of the GS breaks new ground.
Sweeping, sculpted lines, slingshot windows and a longer wheelbase are
just some of the design elements that propel the new GS into uncharted territory.
Into a world that is part sleek luxury and part raw exhilaration. While, of course,
at the same time 100% Lexus.
Press the Button. If You Dare.
Offered in three forms, the new GS comes packed with exhilarating horsepower:
245 horses worth in the GS 300 and GS 300 AWD’s 3.0 litre V6 engine. And a full
stampede of 300 horsepower in the 4.3 litre V8 under the hood of the GS 430. But
this is only the beginning of what makes the new GS so undeniably powerful. To truly
understand, all you need to do is press the button. The question is, would you dare?
THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION.
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Whether you are planning a high-energy sales meeting, an
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AUDIO • VIDEO • LIGHTING • STAGING • RENTALS • SALES • INSTALLATION
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101 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2H 6R2
Telephone: (519) 578-6849
www.raelipskie.com
4145 North Service Road, Burlington, Ontario L7L 6A3
Telephone: (905) 333-4915
Exchange
Volume 22, Number 4
MARCH / APRIL 2005
SERVING BUSINESS IN WATERLOO REGION AND GUELPH
P.O. Box 41030, Waterloo ON N2K 3K0 • Tel: (519) 886-2831 • Fax: (519) 886-6409
email: [email protected]
CONTENTS
No one knows more about
wireless communications than
Motorola, and a successful
wireless network installation
requires the kind of expertise
that we can offer.
D E PA RT M E N T S
9 PUBLISHER’S NOTE
10 BUSINESS MONITOR
Currency Risk; Labour Legislation;
Quilt Festival, Accelerator Centre
33 WATERCOOLER
F E AT U R E S
12 BULLISH ON
Looking for a secure
and fast wireless
networking solution?
CHINA?
BY PAUL KNOWLES
Experienced business people disagree
about methods, potential for doing
business with the emerging giant
31 FUN
WITH
FUTURES
BY JON ROHR
Ed Twardus makes his mark
in the market
38 MAKING
A
On the cover: Bonny Jensen, owner of
Mark’s Work Wearhouse
DIFFERENCE
Motorola Wireless
Networking solutions offer
high-speed connectivity at a
cost that is substantially less
than wire lines - especially in
difficult to reach areas that
are cost prohibitive to wire.
BY BRIAN HUNSBERGER
Happy Feet, Warm Heart
COLUMNS
19 LEADERSHIP IN THE
MILLENNIUM
NEW
BY LINDA GREGORIO
Facing Failure May Lead to Success
20 MANUFACTURING METHODS
Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre
BY DOUG CATER
Competition Rules!
21 GOOD GOVERNANCE
BY JOHN T. DINNER
The Board’s Role in
Stakeholder/Shareholder
Communication
23 PUBLIC MARKETS
BY JIM KOPPERSON
The Fixation with China
24 GUEST COLUMN
BY ALLAN FOERSTER
Options? There is No Option
27 GROWING
THE
DISTANCE
BY JIM CLEMMER
Leadership with Serenity
28 ON ASSIGNMENT
BY PAUL KNOWLES
Choice is Taking Off
Exchange
Publisher/Editor: Jon Rohr
Associate Editor: Paul Knowles
Feature Writers: Brian Hunsberger,
Paul Knowles, Jon Rohr
Advertising Sales: Brian Lyon
TMR (519) 886-1946
Creative Director: Diane Johnson
Art Direction: Laurie Martin
Graphic Designer: Kristin Kotack
Photography: Jon Rohr, Kristin Kotack
Circulation/Office Administration: Leanne Rohr
EXCHANGE magazine is a regional business publication published by Exchange Business Communication Inc. President,
Jon Rohr. Eight issues per year are distributed to each company
in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and Fergus as
determined by Canada Post Business Postal Walks.
Subscriptions are available for $29.90. Send cheque or money
order to Exchange, P.O. Box 41030, Waterloo, ON N2K 3K0.
Attn: Circulation Department. Back issues are available for $8
per copy. Phone: (519) 886-9953. Fax: (519) 886-6409. ISSN
0824-457X Copyright, 2005. No part of this magazine may be
reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
20 Alpine Court
Kitchener, ON N2E 2M7
Tel. (519) 749-1763
www.mrcwireless.com
"Motorola and the Stylized M logo are registered in
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.† All other
product or service names are the property of their
respective owners."†
MARCH/APRIL 2005
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Ironic how the car of the future isn't really a car.
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seats • Bi-Xenon HID headlights • Power sliding glass sunroof • Available state-of-the-art
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Infiniti.ca
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*LIMITED TIME LEASE OFFER on the 2005 FX35 (F6SG75 AA00) available through Infiniti Financial Services only. Payments are $599/mth. for 36 months, O.A.C. Down payment
or trade-in of $9,367 plus first monthly payment due at lease inception. Security deposit waived. Total lease obligation is $32,211 which includes destination and delivery
charges $1,280. A.L.R. 4.90%. 72,000 km allowance, additional kilometres at $0.15. $0.10/km if arranged at lease inception. Zero down payment plans are also available.
Taxes, licence, PPSA or RPMRR registration and insurance are extra. MSRP for the 2005 FX35 (F6SG75 AA00) is $53,000. Freight and PDE, taxes, licence and insurance are extra.
Dealerships are free to set individual prices. See your Infiniti Dealership for more information. † Available in certain option packages. See your Infiniti Dealership for details.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The Future is Service
Service sector is more important than we know
BY JON ROHR
s China erodes a small percentage of our manufacturing
jobs, a renaissance in the service sector will keep our
economy healthy and prosperous for the next century.
We don’t have to look far to see what a decline in a manufacturing sector produces. California used to be a manufacturing
centre; now it’s agriculture, technology and Hollywood.
In a recent article prepared by Statistics Canada, Authors Fred
Gault and Julio Miguel Rosa state that “Services constitute the single most important
industry in Canada's economy”. They
account for 68% of Canada’s gross domestic product, 75% of Canada’s employment
and over half (53%) of consumer spending.
Although the service sector contributes
to Canada’s economic prosperity, the
report goes on to say that the “service
industry is not widely perceived as being
Canada's spearhead of research and development (R&D).” Studies show this perception to be wrong.
The organized effort to highlight the innovative practices of
the service sector is long overdue, and just may be the required
push that gives Canadian companies a leg up on competing
countries, distinguishing us from other developed countries
including “copy and produce” countries like China and India.
Much can be said about the intellectual qualities of the service industry; it is and has always been made up of people with a
diverse knowledge base that is flexibly applied to a variety of situations. Knowledge allows them to do – what they do.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that growth in the service
sector has come about by and large because of development of
information technologies. Andrew Sharp, of the Centre for the
Study of Living Standards points out in a international produc-
A
tivity study done in 2000, that there now appears to be “a renaissance in productivity growth,” citing the U.S. service sector
as an example. Sharpe states that output per worker grew “five
times faster” during the period 1995-98 compared to the period
1981-95. He explains this by relating this development as a
reflection of “the impact of the massive investments in information technologies,” which he says “seem to be producing
large productivity gains in a wide range of service industries.”
R&D is “more traditionally assigned to the manufacturing
sector.” As a country our government needs to further “quantify R&D activities within the service sector.” The authors of the
Statistics Canada report believe that “services industries are
becoming an increasingly important force in R&D.”
Service industries are defined as those included in the following industries: Accommodation, Transportation, Food, Scientific and technical, Government, Personal service, Professional services, Financial service, and Business service.
Highlights of this exploratory study
(source
Statistics Canada January 2005):
JON ROHR IS
• In 2002, the commercial service sector
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
was responsible for 28.5% of all R&D
OF EXCHANGE
expenditures for the economy as a whole.
MAGAZINE FOR
BUSINESS
• In 2000, 36.6% of all personnel assigned
e-mail: editor@
full time to R&D worked in the commercial
exchangemagazine.com
service sector.
• Quantification of the amounts spent on
R&D from within the service sector does
not necessarily correspond to traditional
industrial classifications. For example, R&D is primarily performed in such sectors as biotechnology, software, telecommunications, the environment and logistics, which are not
included in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classification scheme.
• Several service sector activities are labour intensive, requiring highly skilled R&D workers. 23% of employees doing
R&D in biotechnology, hold doctorates or master's degrees.
Technology will continue to influence growth in service
industries and may lead Canada’s growth and your profits.
What this means is, given the existing trend and future
rationalization of the importance of R&D in service industries,
companies once not considered special can now consider
themselves important again – our future depends them.
MARCH/APRIL 2005
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BUSINESS MONITOR
CURRENCY RISK
Protecting yourself against a soaring loonie?
HARRY MARKOWITZ WON the 1990 Nobel Prize in Economics for
QUILT FESTIVAL CELEBRATES
10TH ANNIVERSARY
AN EVENT THAT started a decade ago as
a small community effort involving a
group of quilt shop owners, museums, galleries and quilters has
evolved into the largest festival of its
kind in Canada. The 2005 edition of
the Waterloo County & Area Quilt
Festival runs May 19-29, in nine communities and with 40+ events.
This Festival attracts about 35,000
visitors annually, and has been voted
one of the “Top 50 Festivals” in
Ontario for four consecutive years.
In 2005, as part of the 10th Anniversary Celebrations, the
Canadian Quilters Association/ Association canadienne de la
courtepointe (CQA/ACC) will be holding their annual conferences, workshops and exhibits in Waterloo. The 17th Annual
CQA/ACC National Juried Show will exhibit May 25-28 at Wilfrid
Laurier University.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Juried Quilt Show, a prestigious,
province-wide competition, will be at the University of Waterloo
Art Gallery.
The World Piece Exhibit is staged at the K-W Granite Club’s
new location, the Curling Rink in the Park, 99 Seagram Drive in
Waterloo, and runs from May 19-29, 2005. The 2005 World
Piece Exhibit will be celebrating the Waterloo County & Area
Quilt Festival’s 10th Anniversary with a particularly impressive
line-up offering eight shows under one roof. The World Piece
Exhibit also features “Invitation, the Quilt of Belonging” as it
embarks on its National Tour.
The WCAQF also offers a special “challenge” for young people – the Youth Quilt Block Challenge. Youth from pre-school to
grade 12 are invited to participate. For the second consecutive
year, the entries will be on display at the Waterloo Regional
Children’s Museum.
WCAQF executive director is Amber Panchen-Porchak; for
more information, contact The Waterloo County & Area Quilt
Festival Office (519-664-2728 or [email protected].
his work that led to the insight that risk is central to investing
and that the portfolio, not individual positions, is the basis for
controlling risk. From Markowitz’s work came Modern Portfolio Theory and the consensus that diversification is an essential element of risk control.
One of the most popular diversification strategies, especially for Canadians, is investing internationally. However, Canadians have learned that placing money in foreign markets carries an often overlooked risk: currency risk.
Investing internationally is a package deal. You get two
exposures, the underlying investment and the currency. This
may have been fine when the Canadian dollar was in a bear
market for the last thirty years. But now, that trend may have
reversed and many investors are getting anxious.
There are a number of economic and geopolitical reasons
why the U.S dollar may continue its descent.
It may be time to ask two questions:
• Should you own international investments at all?
• And, if so, should you hedge your foreign currency exposure so your returns are based on your stock picking
prowess and not currency fluctuations?
The answer to the first question is a resounding yes. Canada represents approximately 2.6% of the global equity markets. From a value standpoint, 98% of the world’s publicly
traded stocks are located outside of Canada. Therefore, it
makes sense to allocate some of your investment capital outside of Canada.
The answer to the second question is a little more complicated. Conventional wisdom says not to hedge foreign currency exposure. This is based on a common belief that currencies
are a zero-sum game that equal out over time, constantly selfcorrecting.
However, once currencies start
moving it takes a lot to stop them. If
you don’t have a long time horizon
for your portfolio, or your personality
Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, The Region of Waterloo and Canada’s Technology Triangle
doesn’t allow you to remain calm
have won the Economic Development Award for their tourism initiative, Passport to Success
when currency fluctuations erode
program. The program took first place in the Special Event Campaign category, awarded in
30% of your foreign returns, you may
Toronto Feb. 9. Each year the Economic Development Council of Ontario recognizes excelwant to consider a hedging strategy.
lence in marketing through the Ontario Marketing Awards. Kitchener also received an
If your concern is mainly the U.S dolHonorable mention for the Physician Recruitment Brochure in the Publications (Print or
lar depreciating against the loonie,
Electronic Category).
you have options. Owning shares of
Canadian gold companies offers a
good hedge. Because gold is priced in U.S. dollars its price will
appreciate as the Greenback falls. In return, the shares of gold
producers will typically follow it higher.
http://www.exchangemagazine.com/XQuarterly/
A more sophisticated strategy is through the use of foreign
exchange contracts or futures contracts.
• Hourly wages have been very stable over the last two decades, with little
Selecting U.S. and international investment funds that
change in the proportion of workers holding either well-paid jobs or low-paid
hedge their currency exposure is another approach. The portjobs. However, newly hired employees have seen their wages drop substanfolio manager does the work, and costs are minimized.
tially relative to those of other workers, according to the new study Are Good
Jobs Disappearing in Canada?
As always, whether to hedge foreign currency exposure in
PASSPORT IS DEEMED A SUCCESS
your portfolio, and how best to do it, are questions that need
to be answered in relation to your goals and risk tolerance.
-BY DANIEL E. GIRARD CFP, FMA
10
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MARCH/APRIL 2005
• In order to avoid turnover which often occurs in the first few months of employment, employers are designing and implementing comprehensive systems to
ease their employees into the fold, allowing them to become effective, faster.
This process is called “onboarding” and is both far more detailed and longer
than traditional integration techniques.
BUSINESS MONITOR
LEGISLATED WITHOUT CHOICE
ACCELERATOR CENTRE REVS UP
MARCH/APRIL 2005
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PHOTO: JON ROHR
PHOTO: JON ROHR
THE PACE IS PICKING UP for the Research and
Technology Park’s new Accelerator Centre. At
IN A 2005 ARTICLE by the
December’s open house and ground-breaking
Fraser Institute entitled,
ceremony, one of the Region’s oldest law firms
“Unionism All About Limit– Miller Thompson, formerly Sims Clement
ing Choice,” author Jason
Eastman — announced plans to set up an office
Clemens states that Canain the 22,700 sq.ft. Centre, expected to open its
da's unionization rate was
doors later this year.
much higher, at 32.4% of
The move is consistent with the evolved
employment, than the
vision of the Accelerator Centre as an incubator
United States' 14.3%, in
2003. The repor t states
for young entrepreneurial enterprises, housed in
that this statistic superfia building which would offer low-cost space, Gerry Thompson, Accelerator
cially suppor ts the argushared resources, and such services as IP man- Centre
ment that Canada has a
agement consultation, mentoring and investor
collectivist
attitude.
advice. The multi-tenant building is designed to
Clemens states that the Todd Letts, CEO KW Chamber
house a range of support services – like specialtrue cause of the difference, however, has nothing to do
ized legal services – to help propel the growth
with a more collectivist mentality and everything to do
of the young companies.
with a larger public sector and a lack of worker choice
According to Gerry Thompson, one of the
regarding union support.
idea architects behind the Accelerator Centre,
The article highlights three types of jurisdictions in
Canada and the United States when it comes to worker
the vision of the Centre has been evolving to
choice laws, or what in the United States are referred to as
become one of the most innovative incubation
right-to-work (RTW) laws. It states that U.S. generally proconcepts in the world.
vides workers with a choice as to whether or not they
When the project’s organizers analyzed the
want to join a union and pay full dues. Specifically, workers
objective of the incubator initiative – to provide
can opt out of union dues that are not directly related to
an opportunity for embryonic business to evolve Laird Robertson, RHL
representation-related spending, such as political and social
from a mailbox to a larger company – they rec- Architects
activities, and in 22 U.S. states extended federal labour laws
ognized the value in surrounding
have allowed workers the additional choice of whether to
strengthening dollar, high tax levels and growing global the young enterprises with the suppay any dues at all.
competition as keeping Canadian and Ontario busi- port services they would require,
North of the border, workers are not granted such
nesses focused on seeking out new growth opportu- and some space to grow their busioptions, states the author. All Canadian provinces as well as
nities and areas for expansion.
the federal government, in one way or another, permit
nesses.
Chamber President and CEO Todd Letts warns
mandatory union membership and the remittance of full
The design of the new Acceleraof “the potential loss of investment and job creunion dues as a condition of employment in organized firms.
tor Centre reflects this vision,
ation from such regressive proposals must be recJurisdictions that afford their workers more choice with
ognized, along with the detrimental impact on according to Laird Robertson of
respect to union membership and the payment of dues tend
RHL Architects, who designed the
future tax revenues.”
to have lower union rates than those that offer less choice.
Provincial Labour Minister Chris Bentley three-storey Centre, which is being
Recently, in reaction to the Ontario Liberal governannounced the amendments which would repeal developed by The Cora Group. The
ment’s proposed amendments to the Labour Act, the
measures introduced by the former Conservative gov- Accelerator Centre will be located
Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce sent
ernment in 1995.The Act, which received first reading on the first floor. The two upper
a letter to Ontario Labour Minister Chris Bentley stating
in November 2004, proposes “repealing the require- floors will house support services
that, if the proposed amendments to the Labour Relations
ment that employers post information telling employ- designed to nurture the growth of
Act (Bill 144) are passed, it will have a chilling effect on our
ees how to decertify their union (sections 4 and 5 of the young businesses, and will also
provincial economy already faced with unparalleled global
Bill 144, section 63.1 of the Act); repealing the provicompetition. “Ontario’s business owners, operators and
provide additional space as some
sions of the Labour Relations Act dealing with trade
shareholders are facing new hurdles that require 100% of
enterprises decide to move up
union
salary
disclosure
(section
6
of
Bill
144,
section
their attention,” the letter states, emphasizing Canada’s
92.1 of the Act)”; and giving the Ontario Labour Rela- rather than out, as they grow.
“In other communities,” Thomptions Board “the power to temporarily reinstate an
employee who is discharged during an organizing cam- son observes, “many ambitious and
paign (section 7 of Bill 144, section 98 of the Act).”
visionary ideas simply fail. But this
• Manufacturers are now anticipating lower production
and employment levels in the coming months, resultCritics say these changes limit choice by workers area – Kitchener, Waterloo, Caming from dissatisfaction with the current levels of
and create an environment that encourages ongoing bridge, Guelph – I think this is the
orders and inventories.
disturbances in workplaces whose majority has cho- most connected community in
• Total spending on culture by all three levels of governsen not to unionize. Critics have also suggested that Canada. We have an idea, and our
ment in 2002/03 increased 5.2% from the previous
the Liberal government may be angling for labour
year to $7.1 billion. However, the rate of increase was
community comes together to nurvotes with this legislation.
lower than those in the preceding two years.
As Letts put it, “Bill 144 will erode the fundamen- ture that idea. It’s the key to our
• Local aircraft movements at tower airports in Canada
tal
principles of democracy in the workplace ... will success.”
were down 151,613 movements (-10.8%), marking
The Accelerator Centre, in the
the third consecutive annual decrease. The year-overlead to more uncertainty, more litigation, and to
year comparisons ranged from an increase of 10.6% at
employees having access to less information about UW Research and Technology Park,
Thunder Bay to a 14.4% decline at Waterloo Regional
their workplace rights.”
will open its doors later this year.
International Airport.
PHOTO: JON ROHR
Province proceeds with Bill 144 – Labour
Relations Statute Law Amendment Act, 2004