Canadian Retailer - Summer 2015 - 4

pUblishER's dEsk

REtail MattERs!
thE change dynamic appar-

ent in the recent Alberta election seems to have dialed-up
everyone's attention to politics. So this is a good time for
us to look at what lies ahead.
As this issue of Canadian
Retailer goes to print, we find
ourselves a mere 20 weeks
away from the next federal
election, scheduled for October 19, 2015.
It is expected to be a hotly fought contest and the parties are
already starting to stake out their positions on the big economic
themes: tax fairness, policies tailored to the Canadian middle class,
and pension-income adequacy. The next few months are prime time
for helping to shape politicians' views, for promoting policies that
will benefit the retail industry and averting proposals that would
have a negative effect on the sector.
Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is engaged with all of the major
political parties, raising the profile of the industry, underscoring the
retail sector's importance as Canada's biggest employer, and highlighting our "asks" on trade and tariff issues, tax fairness, regulatory
reform and payments.
These discussions are engaging the party leaders, federal cabinet ministers and opposition critics and the policy teams who put
together the party platforms. While these Ottawa-focused efforts
are a big part of the picture, it equally important to build relationships at a local level with MPs and with candidates of all stripes.
As seen across Canada in recent years, the party that starts with a
lead doesn't necessarily end up in office and the pollsters don't always get it right. The candidate we meet with today can easily be
the decision-making cabinet-minister or parliamentary committee
member of tomorrow.
RCC is unveiling an advocacy and engagement plan for merchants, so that together we can take our views to local candidates.
The pre-election summer, in which they are all at home in their ridings, is the ideal time to do so. There will be more detail on our
website (www.retailcouncil.org) beginning in June and RCC will be
contacting members, big and small, directly to solicit your views and
your specific involvement.
Thank you for helping us to advance the retail agenda!
Sincerely,

Diane J. Brisebois
President and CEO
Retail Council of Canada

canadian REtailER | Summer 2015

sUMMer 2015 | VOLUMe 25 IssUe 3

publisher

Diane J. Brisebois
A s s o c i at e P u b l i s h e r

Michael LeBlanc

editor-in- chief

sean C. tarry
(416) 922-6678, ext. 286
starry@retailcouncil.org
art direction

scope Media
www.scopemedia.ca
contributors

stuart Foxman, Karl Littler, Marjorie
Mackenzie, steve nikifork, robert Price,
ted salter, russell Young
d i r e c t o r o f p u b l i c at i o n s

angela Caroyannis
acaroyannis@naylor.com
project manager

Kim Davies
kdavies@naylor.com
sales manager

Bill McDougall
bmcdougall@naylor.com
editorial office

1881 Yonge Street, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario M4S 3C4
Phone: (416) 922-6678 | Fax: (416) 922-8011
www.retailcouncil.org
a d v e r t i s i n g/ p r o d u c t i o n o f f i c e

naylor (Canada) Inc.
300 - 1630 Ness Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3X1
Phone: (800) 665-2456 | Fax: (800) 709-5551
www.naylor.com
Canadian Retailer is published six times each
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We welcome your article suggestions and any
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Please note the opinions expressed in Canadian
Retailer do not necessarily reflect those of Retail
Council of Canada. For article reprints, contact
Naylor (Canada) at 1-800-665-2456.

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Canadian Retailer - Summer 2015

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