For Immediate Release | August 9, 2017
Dufferin County, ON: On Tuesday August 8th, 2017, The Dufferin Board of Trade welcomed employers and community stakeholders from across the County to a town hall discussion on Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. As the front-line resource for the Dufferin business community, the Dufferin Board of Trade felt it necessary to host this session to provide insight into the potential implications of Bill 148, clarification on specifics of the act, as well as to collect input that will help to frame the conversation and policy work of the Chamber and Boards of Trade network in Ontario.
The session featured a detailed presentation by Karl Baldauf, Vice President, Policy & Government Relations with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Baldauf discussed specific proposals in the Act, the advocacy work of the OCC and the Chamber and Boards of Trade network, and recommendations that have been made to the Government by the OCC and the Chamber and Boards of Trade network to help employers to transition into new regulations or requirements. Mr. Baldauf reiterated that the OCC is calling for evidence based reform and for the government to slow the pace of the Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Act.
In closing Mr. Baldauf stated, “The substantive changes that will come as a result of Bill 148 are going to affect all of us, and our most vulnerable in our society chief among them. Businesses understand that. It is not because they [businesses] want to hold on to profits, it’s because they want to create more dynamic, more profitable communities.”
Following Mr. Baldauf’s presentation, Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin – Caledon took the floor to discuss the political realities of Bill 148 and bring perspective that was gained at the public hearings on Bill 148 that took place last month. Ms. Jones was concerned that there was a large amount of social engineering in Bill 148 that has very little to do with business. Ms. Jones encouraged those in attendance to get involved and send specific examples of how Bill 148 will affect their business to the Premier and the Minister of Labour.
Once the presentations were concluded, the floor was opened to questions. Attendees had the opportunity to voice their concerns, and receive clarification on areas of uncertainty pertaining to the Bill.
The slide deck and an audio recording of the presentations can be found on the Dufferin Board of Trade website. The Dufferin Board of Trade encourages its members and the Dufferin business community to read through the slide deck, listen to the presentations, and distribute the presentations to businesses and community leaders in their own respective networks.
Nick Lumia, Communications and Policy Analyst
Dufferin Board of Trade
519.941.0490 ext. 206