Waves of Discovery – You have just a few days left to enjoy the early bird registration fee for MCA Canada's 76th Annual National Conference, November 6 to 9 at the wonderful Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa in Maui, Hawaii. The early bird registration deadline is Friday, October 6. This year’s conference will feature exceptional educational content, amazing featured speakers and spectacular social events. A couple of new additions are general sessions for all delegates with interesting guest speakers and a new reception and tradeshow. We look forward to seeing you. Aloha!

If you haven't already booked your hotel room for MCA Canada's 76th Annual National Conference in Hawaii this November, you'd better act fast. The hotel reservation deadline is this Friday – September 29. Act now to reserve the preferred conference rate of $239/night. Our special rate is available to conference attendees only. Make your reservation through the MCAC website.

MCA Canada associate members are again invited this year to participate in the New Product Showcase & Happy Hour. This three-evening event allows suppliers to introduce their latest products and services to the conference delegates. The showcases will last an hour each on the evenings of November 6, 7 and 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. prior to our major social events. To find out more and to register, download the registration form.

In last week's Just the Fax, we gave you the wrong link to the English version of the survey being conducted by the Coalition for Small Business Tax Fairness. Here is the correct link to the English survey and here again is a link to the survey in French. Sorry for the confusion!

MCA Canada has announced a series of new dates to introduce its new Insurance Captive Initiative. If your company is interested in broader coverage, wants substantial discounts on insurance premiums and is looking for real potential to receive dividends, look no further.

Since the Forum of Labour Market Ministers announced its strategic plan to harmonize 30 Red Seal trades in most jurisdictions by 2020, with an effort to harmonize training for two-thirds of Red Seal apprentices by 2017, the Canadian Council of the Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) has made great progress. The CCDA is proud to announce that the goal of harmonizing training for two-thirds of Red Seal apprentices by 2017 was met. Strong momentum and collaboration with industry across the country has resulted in the implementation of nine trades in most jurisdictions in September 2016, as well as in the implementation of nine additional trades in most jurisdictions in September 2017.

The prime minister continues to endorse the proposed tax reforms, even as doctors, farmers, small business owners, the Conservative opposition and even some backbench Liberal MPs push back.

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and the Trudeau government have taken a hammering during question period in Ottawa over the last 72 hours over Morneau's proposed tax changes to small business. Both the PCs and the NDP oppose the plan. Nevertheless, the Liberals, with a majority government, can do what they want. Within our industry, opposition has been lodged (as signatories to a joint letter to Morneau from 35 business associations within the Coalition For Small Business Tax Fairness) by the Canadian Home Builders' Association, the Canadian Construction Association, the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Heating & Plumbing.

94 percent of small business owners say the Trudeau government's proposed federal tax changes will hurt Canadian businesses and their families, according to a new survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Carl Bernstein had a roomful of construction stakeholders enthralled at the CanaData conference held recently in Toronto, delivering withering criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump, lamenting press abdication of responsibility, talking NAFTA and even offering up a few Watergate insights for good measure.

In the past few years, arbitration has become the preferred method of resolving domestic and international disputes in all sectors including construction, said a panel of experts discussing trends and developments in the process and the practical benefits of arbitration clauses.

The Western Canada Section of the America Water Works Association holds its Bad and Ugly Cross Connection Control contest every year. 2017's winners submitted installations that illustrate the need for cross connection education and awareness.

MCAC members are invited to attend two free webinars to learn how to create online customer service that will help you earn new customers and keep existing customers around for a long time.

CEC is pleased to announce dates for the following training programs. Click the course name for a full description, dates and registration information. Or click through to the CEC programs page for a list of all the courses.

Advanced Supervisory Training – Kitchener, ON – October 3
Getting More Done – Turning Today’s Rat Race into a Productive Workplace – Kitchener, ON – October 4
Pre-Construction Planning – Ottawa, ON – October 4
Dispatcher Training Program – Toronto, ON – October 25-26
Agile Construction Program – Toronto, ON – November 29–30

Representing companies and brands that have over 100 years of experience in the Canadian marketplace, Masco Canada brings relevant, smart solutions for plumbing-related goods to their consumers and business partners. Responsible for manufacturing, product management, product development, sales and marketing, they meet the needs of our uniquely Canadian marketplace. To find out more, visit www.mascocanada.com.

1580: Sir Francis Drake finishes his circumnavigation of the Earth.
1613: Samuel de Champlain publishes an account of his recent journey up the Ottawa River, as well as a map of New France.
1777: British troops occupy Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
1789: Thomas Jefferson is appointed the first United States Secretary of State.
1826: Founding of Bytown (City of Ottawa 1855). A letter authorized Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers to divide up the town into lots.
1827: Colonel By is commissioned by the Imperial Government to superintend the construction of the Rideau Canal.
1904: Earl Grey appointed Governor General of Canada.
1905: Albert Einstein publishes his first paper on the special theory of relativity.
1909: Earl Grey donates the Grey Cup to the champion team in Canadian rugby football.
1933: As gangster Machine Gun Kelly surrenders to the FBI, he shouts out, "Don't shoot, G-Men!", which becomes a nickname for FBI agents.
1960: In Chicago, the first televised debate takes place between presidential candidates Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy.
1963: FLQ terrorists hold up a branch of the Royal Bank in Montréal.
1969: Abbey Road, the last recorded album by The Beatles, is released.
1970: Anne Murray's hit song Snowbird peaks at #8 on the Billboard pop singles chart.
1972: Canadian NHL All Stars fight back to tie the Summit Series, eventually winning on Paul Henderson’s historic goal two days later.
1973: The Concorde makes its first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in record-breaking time.
1984: The UK and China agree to a transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, to take place in 1997.
1988: Track athlete Ben Johnson is stripped of his 100m sprint Olympic gold medal and world record following a positive drug test.
1993: Daredevil Dave Munday from of Caistor Centre, ON, takes his second plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel; the first time was in 1985.
2008: The Commission into David Milgaard case concludes the criminal justice system failed Milgaard, since Saskatoon Police got a tip while he was in jail that could have led to the real killer if followed up.

Canadian municipalities issued $7.9 billion worth of building permits in July, down 3.5 percent from June and the first decrease since March 2017. The value of building permits issued for non-residential structures fell 5.7 percent in July to $2.9 billion, the first decrease since February 2017. The commercial component fell 14.7 percent in July to $1.5 billion, following two consecutive monthly increases. The value of building permits issued for industrial structures fell 4 percent to $558 million in July, following a 7.8 percent gain in June. In contrast, the value of permits for institutional structures rose 11.9 percent, to $903.4 million, the second consecutive monthly increase and the highest value since October 2015.

The August reading brought inflation closer to the Bank of Canada's ideal target of two percent and supported the bank's predictions that recent softness was mostly temporary.

The Paris-based economic think tank raised its outlook for growth in the Canadian economy to 3.2 percent this year compared with a June forecast for 2.8 percent.

• September 27-29: Women in HVACR 14th Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX
• September 29: CANS 155th AGM, St. Andrew's By-The-Sea, NB
• September 29-October 1: MCA Toronto AGM, Collingwood, ON
• October 2-4: CCA Meetings, Niagara Falls, ON
• October 11-13: CEC Estimating Conference, Halifax, NS
• October 15-18: MSCA Educational Conference, Boca Raton, Florida
• October 17: CIPHEX Roadshow, Edmonton, AB
• October 19: CIPHEX Roadshow, Regina, SK
• November 6-9: MCA Canada’s 76th National Conference, Maui, Hawaii

Members enjoy significant discounts on Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge trucks, SUVs, minivans and passenger vehicles through Chrysler Canada’s large-account fleet discount program. Save thousands! Simply talk with your local dealership to determine the vehicles you require, then contact the MCA Canada office to access your Fleet Account Number and receive a letter confirming your membership in the association. For more details, contact the MCA Canada office or visit www.mcac.ca.

As you know, Operation Eyesight is MCA Canada's Charity of Choice. The organization does important work across the developing world to provide people in need with the basics of life: access to clean water and sanitation. Their work has improved, and even saved, the lives of countless people in these regions. MCA Canada is always accepting donations to this important cause from its members, but did you know that you can donate more than just cash? Here are five more ways you can show your support: