Allied for Prosperity: The Quebec Employers Council unveils its 2010-2013
Platform on the occasion of its 41st annual general meeting

MONTREAL, April 20 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Employers Council (Conseil du patronat du Québec) is using its 41st general meeting today to release its 2010-2013 Platform which, in the current post-recessionary context, devotes plenty of space to concrete proposals for cleaning up public finances and maintaining competitive taxation for businesses and individuals.

"The budget presented recently by Finance Minister Raymond Bachand is a step in the right direction," said Yves-Thomas Dorval, the organization's president. "But the public feels an understandable mistrust toward the government's true ability to control its spending, with tax and fee increases being very real for citizens. This is why the Employers Council intends to be vigilant at all times in the coming months and years."

The workforce and regulation also in the program

For companies to have the best possible conditions in Quebec for prospering sustainably in a context of worldwide competition, the platform titled Allied for Prosperity suggests potential solutions for three other issues that are priorities for employers:

    
    - the availability of a high-quality workforce in sufficient quantity;
    - employment of productive human capital at competitive cost; and
    - better regulations affecting companies' operations intelligently.
    

Moreover, in support of and in collaboration with other players, the Quebec Employers Council plans to intervene in ensuring a business environment that favours a sustainable economy based in particular on the modernization of our infrastructure, the responsible development of our natural resources, the knowledge-based economy, and innovation.

Allied for Prosperity: more than a slogan

For the Quebec Employers Council, the publication of this platform shows not only its intention to act as a point of convergence for solidarity among employers but also its willingness to engage in dialogue with its social partners to find solutions to common challenges.

"Our proposals do not concern only employers," Mr. Dorval commented. "For them to take shape, they will require a much broader mobilization. Allying for prosperity - with our partners in the government, the unions and other social groups - is how we can establish, together, the most suitable conditions for enriching Quebec society.

Renewed image

The confederation of employers also took advantage of its annual meeting to reveal its new visual identity (new signature and new logo), which will go into full use on June 1, the same date that businesses and the general public will have access to an updated website in the organization's new colours.

A glimpse of this new visual identity, as well as the full version of the 2010-2013 Platform, may be found on the homepage at www.cpq.qc.ca.

The Quebec Employers Council is an association of Quebec's largest companies and the vast majority of sector-based employers' groups, making it the province's sole employers' confederation.

For further information: and interviews: Louis-Paul Lazure, Vice-President - Communications, [phone] (cell)