AED voices equipment industry concerns to Parliament
By STAFF REPORT
Construction Equipment Skills DevelopmentLeaders of the Canadian equipment industry recently convened at the nation’s capital on for Associated Equipment Distributors’ (AED) inaugural Ottawa briefing.
The meeting featured remarks by Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister; panels on infrastructure, energy, tax and workforce policy; a discussion about provincial road construction programs and a preview of the 2015 Canadian federal elections.
AED is an international trade association that represents companies involved in the distribution, rental and support of equipment used in construction, mining, forestry, power generation, agriculture and industrial applications.
The association is ramping up its activities in Ottawa as lawmakers are laying the groundwork for the new federal budget and devising party election platforms.
“One of AED’s most important responsibilities is to make sure distributors understand how they’re affected by government policy and to make lawmakers understand how their decisions affect our industry,” said Brian McGuire, AED’s president and CEO.
AED’s Canadian priorities include the continued implementation of the $53 billion New Building Canada Plan (which promises to generate more than $3.4 billion in equipment market activity nationwide); policies to build Canada’s skilled technical workforce; tax reform to create a more favourable capital investment climate; and regulatory policy to ensure the strength of Canada’s energy and mining sectors. The association is also leading efforts in Washington, D.C., to approve the Keystone XL pipeline and build the new Detroit-Windsor bridge.
