The Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Consul General of Canada in Sydney, Andre Francois Giroux, and the Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Sarah Quigley to two events in Melbourne in May to discuss COVID-19, international trade and expanding into new markets. Hosted by Minter Ellison, the events were the first held in person by the CACC since the start of the pandemic and were an opportunity for business discussions and networking.
Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner Sarah Quigley took up her posting in Australia in January 2020, just as the first COVID-19 cases emerged in Australia. She relocated first to Canberra and then Sydney from Vancouver, with her New Zealand-born husband and two young children. Despite arriving in Australia during a difficult time, Ms Quigley said she loved the beauty of the country and the attitude of the people.
As anyone in business knows, the past year has challenged us in ways we could not have conceived. The COVID-19 pandemic plunged us into the great unknown. It forced us to change direction rapidly while under enormous pressure, to push boundaries and take risks in order to keep businesses running. Despite the challenges, many businesses are emerging from the other side. So, what lies ahead? Canadian and Australian economists contemplated this question at the Future of Business online webinar, hosted by the CACC in February.
Demonstrating its support for diversity and inclusion, CACC Corporate Sponsor MinterEllison held a boardroom briefing in Melbourne, entitled Leadership Diversity – from token to turning point.
The newly appointed High Commissioner for Canada, His Excellency Mark Glauser was excited to be back in Australia, a place he remembers fondly from his younger years.
PICTURED (from left): Doug Carmichael, CACC President, H.E. Natasha Smith, Australian High Commissioner to Canada, Minh Dao, KPMG Partner, Mairead Lavery, EDC President and Goldy Hyder, Business Council of Canada President.
Australian expats, Torontonians and members of the business community came together at The Great Hall in downtown Toronto this month to celebrate Australia Day. Hosted by the Australian Government and supported by several Australian organizations including the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce, the event drew a large crowd reassured that Australia remains open for business and tourism despite the ongoing bushfire situation across several states.
The Toronto International Film Festival, better known as TIFF, was celebrated in Canada’s biggest city. Starting on September 5, the festival brought together film makers, producers, actors, celebrities and film enthusiasts to discover the latest cinematic releases from across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Over its 43-year history, TIFF has grown to become one of the largest, most influential and highly attended film festivals in the world, sitting alongside Cannes, Venice and Berlin in stature.
The end of 2018 saw Canada enter the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with six nations across the Asia-Pacific region. The agreement is expected to inject millions into the economies of both Australia and Canada, along with the other nations entered into the partnership. Austrade, the Australian Government's trade, investment and education promotion body, highlights some quick statistics on the free trade agreement.
