policy
The St. John’s Board of Trade has a great deal of expertise on its policy committees. Matched with a desire to provide governments with solutions that help fellow members, committee expertise often ends up as recommendations in the form of white papers and research.
White papers and research can be created for different reasons. Governments often look for written submissions when considering new programs or legislation. And sometimes the Board recognizes an issue or topic that is so important to its members that it proactively takes steps to voice the opinion of business and part of that ends up being a written document outlining members’ needs.
Sometimes these submissions to government are on immediate issues, such as pre-Budget submissions. Sometimes the ideas put forward by your Board are on longer term issues such as youth retention and attraction. In all of these submissions, the Board of Trade looks at being solution focused instead of problem focused. These papers also recognize the balance that governments have to strike between different interests and how that affects fiscal responsibility.
Submission to Hebron Public Review Commission - November 2011
Provincial Election Issues - 2011
Provincial Election 2011: Statement from the Chair

Provincial Party Election Platforms
The Board of Trade is providing its members with the economic, fiscal and industrial sections of each party's election platform, verbatim, for information purposes only. As far as possible, the Board has endeavoured to be consistent in selecting which portions of each platform can be categorized as 'economic, fiscal and industrial' recognizing that each party has a unique way of presenting and categorizing its information. For that reason, the Board strongly encourages voters to read each party's platform in its entirety.
Parties are listed in alphabetical order.
Liberal Full Platform
NDP Economic, Fiscal and Industrial Sections
NDP Full Platform
PC Economic, Fiscal and Industrial Sections
PC Full Platform
Week 5: NL of the Future
Survey 5: NL of the Future
News Release: Time to decide - Oct. 3, 2011
Week 4: Why Diversification Matters

Survey 4: What the Panelists have to say: Why Diversification Matters
News Release: Why Diversification Matters - Sept. 26, 2011
Presentation: Why Diversification Matters
Week 3: Why demographics matter

Survey 3: What the Panelists have to say: Why Demographics Matter
News Release: Why Demographics Matter - Sept. 20, 2011
Presentation: Why Demographics Matter
Week 2: NL The National Player

Survey 2: What the Panelists have to say: Newfoundland and Labrador: A National Player
News Release: Newfoundland & Labrador: the national player - Sept. 12, 2011
Presentation: A National Player: Where We Fit
The choice is yours
Week 1: The Plan
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Survey 1: The Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador
News Release: Planning for Success: Election 2011 – September 6, 2011
Presentation: Next Steps Forward – What we want the province to be
Survey: The Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador
Provincial Election Q&A
St. John's Board of Trade Membership Economic Survey -- August 2011
Federal Election Issues - 2011
Excerpts from the party platform publications, election 2011
The Board has brought the following issues to the attention of local federal election candidates – national energy, fisheries, and fiscal and debt management. Now see what your next representative wants to deliver in Ottawa. [The Board has not edited any of these responses directly from parties other than to change the font and spacing to make it easier to read on-screen.]
Local Candidate Responses
Provincial Budget - Board calls for strategic elimination of payroll tax
Federal Budget 2011: What Small and Medium Businesses in the Board of Trade need to know
White paper - Membership feeling confident in economy - February 2011
Submission - East-West Power Grid Resolution - June 2010
Submission - Canada's Retirement Income System - April 2010
Financial literacy consultation (April 22-2010)
Provincial Budget 2010; What Small and Medium Businesses in the Board of Trade need to know
Why development matters: Density & Sprawl
Why development matters: Productivity & Knowledge
Why development matters: Transit & Parking
Provincial Budget 2010-11: Pre-Budget submission
Federal Budget 2010; What Small and Medium Businesses in the Board of Trade need to know
2010 Economic Survey (Jan 28-10)
Memorandum to the Premier (Jan 6-10)
Archived policy papers