Constructive Thinking

PCA now has a dedicated full-time voice in Ottawa. In this episode, PCA VP of Public Affairs, Darrel Reid, speaks with PCA's Director of Federal Relations, Jason Tucker, about federal advocacy, political conventions, parliamentary monitoring, and why Canada’s productivity challenge requires all construction hands on deck. Jason explains how PCA is building relationships across party lines, pushing back against narrow assumptions about unionized construction, and making the case for fair, open, and labour-neutral rules so every qualified contractor can compete.

PCA’s President & CEO, Paul de Jong, speaks with Ian Anderson, former CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation, who shares his perspectives and best practices developed for and implemented on the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project. Ian provides his views on the Ottawa-Alberta Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which intends to build a new bitumen pipeline to Pacific tidewater, and concludes with discussion on his latest project in support of Energy Alberta’s plans to build a nuclear reactor in north-western Alberta.

PCA recently met with Premier David Eby, Minister of Infrastructure Bowinn Ma, and senior B.C. government officials to discuss British Columbia’s Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) framework and its exclusionary impact on PCA/CLAC contractors. In this episode, PCA's Jason Tucker speaks with colleagues Darrel Reid and Dan Baxter about why this meeting matters, what PCA told the Premier, how CBAs affect competition and workforce capacity, and why outcome-based procurement could help B.C. achieve its social goals without shutting out qualified unionized builders.

Without staff reports, public consultation or proper debate, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow introduced a motion at City Council that further limits the availability of contractors and workers to build City of Toronto projects. PCA staff Karen Renkema (Ontario VP) and Stephen Hamilton (Ontario Director) discuss the negative impact this will have for taxpayers, workers and small businesses  as we inch closer to municipal elections in the fall.

Paul de Jong, President & CEO of PCA, speaks with Stefan Rutkowski, President & CEO of Careers The Next Generation. Together, they discuss the rationale for Careers as a means of addressing youth unemployment, how industry and employers play a role, and what policies and solutions must be developed to address this important challenge.