By Peter Nogalo
In an era of seemingly perpetual scandal and corresponding public cynicism, it can sometimes be difficult to make the case for public policy, let alone politics. Still, sound public policy and governance are key components to building a strong and dynamic community in which to live, work, study, and invest.

It is for these reasons that your Mississauga Board of Trade takes an active role in engaging policy makers in our community, province, and country to help shape public policy to the betterment of our membership, business in general, and the community at large.
It is often said that while government can’t create jobs, it can create an environment in which to do so. Similarly, whether it be a proposed pension plan or carbon pricing, government policy can directly impact upon your business.

MBOT works to advance the interest of business by regularly meeting with elected officials. Those efforts are supported by Mississauga Works, our policy platform for prosperity which covers key advocacy goals.

Mississauga and Brampton are vitally important communities to the prosperity of our province and country, as well as to the political leadership of both. Our job, simply put, is to regularly remind them of that.

As we look towards a federal election later this year, our efforts will kick into high gear. We will take an active role in shaping the debate in our community in support of business. Mississauga Works, as well as our partnerships with the Ontario and Canadian Chambers of Commerce, will be key to that work.

In the coming months, watch this space for relevant issues that MBOT is working on which will have a direct impact on your business. In April, I will provide a primer on the proposed Ontario pension plan.

In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me or the staff of MBOT for more information on our policy efforts and how best to get involved with them.

Peter Nogalo is MBOT’s Vice Chair of Policy and is a longtime member of the Policy and Government Affairs committee. He leads the Canadian marketing efforts for ARI, a global fleet management company managing over 1,000,000 vehicles. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University and is currently an MBA candidate at Ryerson University.

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Mississauga Board of Trade