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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 General Giroux said coming to Australia had been one of the best moves for his family. “When I go home each night to see big smiling faces with everyone so grateful and happy to be here, it really reinforces how wonderful it is to be in Australia,” he said. Consul General Giroux said while it was sometimes easy to forget about COVID-19 in Australia, given the remarkable efforts that had been achieved in controlling the virus, watching the news was a stark reminder that other countries were not fairing so well. Yet he said the importance of international trade to the Australian market meant the border could not stay closed forever. “There will be a time when Australia needs to open its border because international trade is such an important part of its economy. In Canada, two thirds of its economy rests with international trade and it is a similar reality for Australia,” he said. “The Canadian Government is working really hard to ensure we have a post-COVID recovery that rests on the principles of rules-based trade. We have a number of free trade agreements in place, which are crucial to ensuring the free flow of Canadian goods and services to other parts of the world.” When it came to the role of the Canadian Commission in Sydney and the Canadian High Commission in Canberra, Consul...

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. “I obviously came to Australia at a challenging time, amidst the bushfires and then COVID-19, and I quickly gained an understanding of the resilience and fortitude of Australians, qualities which are shared by Canadians.” As Senior Trade Commissioner, her role is to lead the trade team in Australia and advise on matters of trade promotion and investment to help Canadian businesses grow in Australia by connecting them with funding, support and opportunities. Conversely, she helps Australian businesses invest and expand in Canada. The trade team consists of 14 trade commissioners and trade commissioner assistants across Australia. “We help businesses export abroad by providing them information on the sector, product or service in Australia they are involved in,” Ms Quigley said. “We provide practical exporting assistance to businesses, helping them get their product from point A to point B. We also support businesses through programs like CanExport, which provides financial assistance to businesses looking to break into new markets.” “We provide problem solving assistance in helping businesses assess their potential or provide business contacts here in Australia.” “Another important service we provide is market access, so if businesses are having trouble in a particular sector, for example, navigating a regulatory issue, we work with these businesses to help represent their needs.” She said being a Senior Trade Commissioner was incredibly interesting and rewarding. “The best part about the role is meeting with Canadian companies....

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. PWC Australia Managing Partner and CACC board member Mike McGrath said we were still living in uncertain times and grappling with operating in a COVID-normal world. “Deadlines have come and gone, we’ve had lockdowns – both in Australia and in Canada – and vaccination programs are gradually rolling out,” he said. “There have been government stimulus packages and impacts on strategies and purpose. Businesses have tried to hold onto employees and continue their core functions. We’ve seen people transition to working from home and we’ve seen a change in social sentiment as people have reflected on what is important in life. In this context, we want to look at the economic outlook and recovery and where businesses go from here.” Managing Director and Chief Economist for RBC Capital Markets Su-Lin Ong said the pandemic had helped businesses realise the importance of digitisation and research and development. “Businesses that have had digitalisation strategies in place have been able to react quickly and keep businesses going,” she said. “We are going to see more of this in the months and years ahead.” Yet, for many of us who have been working at home for the better part of a year, human connection has become more important than ever. Vice President and Chief Economist for Export Development Canada...

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. Distinguished guests included visiting CEO of Business Council of Canada, Goldy Hyder, both High Commissioners from Australia & Canada and various senior Australian & Canadian executives across all business sectors. CACC Director, Lesley Gillespie OAM, welcomed the President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC), Mairead Lavery as guest speaker to share her perspective on the topic as a business leader driving change. “As a young girl, I really remember thinking there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do if I worked for it. I really did see the world as a place of possibility,” she said. Despite being raised by a working-class family, and being female, Ms Lavery was determined to go to university, get a good job and make her mark on the world. Having grown up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she knows all too well the consequences of not having an inclusive community. “Growing up in Belfast, I learnt the value of neighbours and community; it was a place where you could rely on your neighbours to help you do something and that really speaks to community and to diversity and inclusion. Those values have stayed with me and those lessons and values helped me make the decision to join EDC.” “EDC is a place where we really strive to have diversity and inclusion – diversity of thought, diversity of our employees, and we truly want our employees to reflect the diversity of our customers.” Ms Lavery said she was incredibly proud to be the first female CEO in the organisation’s 75-year history and was working hard to ensure better gender diversity across the organisation. “We have gender diversity at all levels across...

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. Hosted by the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce, the High Commissioner met with CACC members, sponsors and partners in Melbourne, hosted at PwC offices. [caption id="attachment_4259" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 16 2019:CACC members reception at PWC on the 16th of December 2019 in Melbourne Australia. (Image/Martin Philbey)[/caption] He last visited Australia in 1987 as a backpacker, where he recalls attending a Billy Joel concert. Many things have changed in the 32 years since he last came down under. He said if you had asked him in 1987 who the big three powerhouses were, he would have said Ford, GM and Chrysler. But if you asked him today, he would say it is Facebook, Amazon and Google. “There are industries that are thriving today that didn’t exist in 1987,” Mr Glauser said. “In 2030 there are going to be companies that will be major influencers that don’t exist today, and maybe even industries that don’t exist today.” “This creates opportunities for businesses in Australia and Canada to capitalise on.” “You have to be agile enough to make the most of these opportunities. Smaller companies tend to be better at that than bigger companies.” Mr Glauser said he wanted to work with businesses to develop partnerships and maximise these business opportunities. “There is no better place to take advantage of these opportunities than through the Canada-Australia business partnership. I am delighted to be here to help make that happen and to walk that journey with you.” [caption id="attachment_4260" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] PICTURED (from left to right): Marc-Andre Hawkes, Consul & Senior Trade Commissioner - Canadian Consulate, Sydney, Melissa Wharton, CEO - CACC, H.E. Mark...

The benefits of collaboration between Australian and Canadian universities was the focus of a recent breakfast, organised by the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Queens College, at the University of Melbourne.   The breakfast featured President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Victoria, Jamie Cassels QC, discussing the importance of collaboration with Australians. Professor Cassels, and his delegation, recently finished a tour of Australia focused on developing partnerships with universities, governments, and industry. The breakfast was part of the CACC’s ongoing efforts (https://cacc.wtdevsite.com/news/what-the-nhl-can-teach-australians-about-diversity/) to improve connections between Canada and Australia across all economic sectors, including higher education. Canadian universities are key partners for Australian Universities. For example, Monash University (my school) has a strong relationship with the University of British Columbia, and the University of New South Wales works closely with the University of Toronto.   “Australia and Canada have two of the best university systems in the world and have similar foundations,” said Stewart Gill OAM, Master of Queens College. Professor Gill has been a long-time champion of efforts to improve collaboration between the two countries, and was recently appointed as Ambassador to Australia for the Association of Commonwealth Universities.   “There is much to be gained in terms of fostering student mobility and research projects particularly in areas of common interest in peace and reconciliation, gender issues and climate change,” Prof Gill continued. “There is also much to be learned through sharing best practice, creating new joint programs and sharing curricula through Australian-Canadian partnerships and forums in which institutional knowledge and resources can be shared and multiplied.” Attendees at the breakfast, representing most of the major universities in Melbourne, heard about University of Victoria’s particular expertise in research on aboriginal and indigenous cultures (https://www.uvic.ca/research/learnabout/home/strengths/indigenous/index.php). Researchers are working with Indigenous communities and organisations in Canada...

The CACC was proud to welcome the Australian High Commissioner to Canada, Her Excellency Natasha Smith, to boardroom briefings in Sydney and Melbourne to discuss the bilateral relationship between Australia and Canada, especially trade and investment.  She highlighted the key features of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and its benefits for Australian and Canadian businesses. Her Excellency said the connection between the two countries was strong and deep.  The first ever Canadian Trade Commissioner arrived in Sydney in 1895, and 2020 would mark 80 years of having High Commissioners in both countries. PICTURED: H.E. Natasha Smith with Mike McGrath, Managing Partner CMO for PwC. The bilateral trade and investment relationship is also strong and enduring.  But despite this, the CPTPP was the first full free trade agreement struck between the two counties. “The CPTPP is the ‘gold standard’ of trade agreements,” she said. Quoting Jim Carr, the Canadian Minister of International Trade Diversification, Her Excellency described the trade agreement as a bridge that governments build and then it was up to individual businesses to use the bridge. She said the CPTPP opened up new opportunities for businesses across the 11 countries that were part of the agreement. “The agreement provides significant tariff reductions and eliminations that will benefit Australian businesses. Beef is a key example, within five years all tariffs on Australian beef into Canada will be eliminated and wine tariffs have already disappeared with ratification.” Her Excellency said one of the biggest advantages to the agreement was the freer flow of people between the countries to support business growth, through temporary entry commitments. PICTURED: Jack Cowin - CACC Patron, Angela Bogdan - Consul General of Canada to Australia, H.E. Natasha Smith, Minh Dao - Co-Chair CACC Events Committee and Doug Carmichael - CACC President. “I personally...