Chris Cummins is a seasoned keynote speaker on sales, leadership and personal development. He speaks to audiences of all shapes and sizes. Whether a senior leader or a seasonal hire, business professionals appreciate Chris’s unique ability to deliver highly customized, educational content in a hilarious, approachable and real-world style. He has delivered programs to over 20,000 business owners and 500 organizations across North America including the likes of BMW, FedEx, Philips, and Microsoft.

Chris has developed a unique method to ensure the highest level of customization and impact for each presentation. His signature Black Box Method uncovers hidden opportunities for learning in your organization, allowing training programs and keynotes to connect with the audience at the highest level.

Join us for Chris’s presentation during MCA Canada’s Annual National Conference. Chris will be speaking on Thursday, November 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Richard and Marian Palser incorporated Palser Enterprises in 1954. Starting by selling boilers and heating related items, the agency moved into plumbing products in 1960. In 1976, Hugh and Bev Palser joined and eventually acquired the family business from Dick and Marian. In February 1999, Palser Enterprises purchased the Aristocrat Manufacturing Company in Mississauga from the Bradley Corporation and proceeded to open warehouses in London and Toronto. Palser Enterprises is now into its third generation with Richard Palser as the president, his wife Lori in administration, Hugh as CEO and Bev as secretary treasurer. Today they continue the 60-year family tradition of representing the highest quality plumbing and heating manufacturers in the Canadian market and a commitment to providing our industry with the best customer service. For more information, visit www.palserent.com.

MSCC is very proud to welcome C.G Plumbing & Heating Limited, from Ottawa, ON, to the growing list of MSCC 'Gold Standard' Contractors. This designation signifies your organization as an elite contractor in Canada. It verifies your company implements industry leading best-business practices in specific key competencies: technical excellence, safety, training, documentation, security, customer service and business acumen. Congratulations to Daniel Gravelle and the entire team at CG Plumbing & Heating! 

Learn more about how you can become a 'Gold Standard' Contractor.

Nova Scotia’s Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis recently announced the removal of tuition fees for apprentices attending technical training in the province. This includes online training.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has given the Minister of Public Services and Procurement instruction to prioritize prompt payment for contractors and sub-contractors who do business with her department.

The tweak to Morneau's original proposal comes after an onslaught of complaints that warned cracking down on passive investments could adversely affect middle-class entrepreneurs.

Mary Van Buren, a bilingual marketing, strategy and digital expert, started as the Canadian Construction Association president on October 16. She has worked in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors and has held executive roles at leading associations and not-for-profits, including the Canadian Medical Association’s subsidiary, MD Financial Management, and Export Development Canada. In her most recent role as vice-president of marketing and IT at the Canadian Real Estate Association, Mary led a team of 60 to grow its premier services, REALTOR.ca and WEBForms in the double digits. She holds an MBA in international business from McGill and a B.A. in Communication from the University of Ottawa and is a Certified Association Executive.

BuildForce Canada recently held its second annual National Construction and Maintenance Industry Strategy Summit bringing together owners, contractors and labour stakeholders who provided input to build on the organization's national strategy, with a focus on improving productivity and workforce retention.

A new report by the Columbia Institute is criticizing the Canada Infrastructure Bank for its plans to use private partners and limit access to information.

Many corporate social responsibility considerations are becoming mandated requirements for a growing number of projects across Canada, giving rise to a new era of “social procurement.”

A new report released by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) delivers a detailed roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings like office towers, recreation centres, hospitals, arenas and schools across the country.

The study was also designed to determine the awareness of brands such as ENERGY STAR for Industry recognition program and the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation.

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.

Dispatcher Training Program – Toronto, ON – October 25-26
Agile Construction Program – Toronto, ON – November 29–30

Large and small construction contractors are vulnerable to cybercrime, with “smart” building devices and lucrative engineering drawings in particular presenting vulnerabilities, Northbridge Insurance warns.

On November 3, construction industry stakeholders from across Canada will gather for the inaugural Canadian Construction Innovations conference in Toronto. The conference program will explore new innovations and technologies anticipated to impact the industry in the coming years.

Wolseley Canada is the country's leading national distributor of plumbing, hydronic, HVAC/R and PVF products and solutions to professional contractors, retailers, and industrial users. With a network of over 220 branches coast to coast, and a national team of sales and service specialist, the Wolseley team is known for the knowledge and expertise that customers have come to rely on for their ever-changing needs.

1621: Eustache Martin; born to Marguerite Langlois, the wife of Abraham Martin, the farmer who gave his name to the Plains of Abraham, is the first French child born in North America.
1852: First Toronto Stock Exchange opens for business as the Association of Brokers.
1901: Annie Edson Taylor, a 43-year-old teacher, a widow and a non-swimmer, accompanied by her pet kitten, goes over the 50m Horseshoe Falls in a wooden oak barrel and survives.
1921: Nova Scotia fishing schooner Bluenose defeats the New England schooner Elsie in the second race by almost 5 km to win her first International Schooner Championship.
1945: The United Nations charter takes effect at the San Francisco Conference, as Canada and 50 other countries come together determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and unite their strength to maintain international peace and security. Today, there are 185 member countries.
1946: A camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket takes the first photograph of Earth from outer space.
1972: Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson dies of heart disease at age 53.
1974: Bachman-Turner Overdrive has a #1 Billboard hit single with You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.
1978: Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones convicted of heroin possession, given a one-year suspended sentence and ordered to put on a charity concert for the blind in Toronto, ON.
1992: Dave Winfield whacks a two run double in the 11th inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. The Jays take baseball's World Series and are the first team from outside the United States to win the title.

The Bank of Canada says several indicators in its most recent survey have been tempered from strong summer survey results, including businesses' plans to increase spending over the next 12 months.

• November 6-9: MCA Canada’s 76th National Conference, Maui, Hawaii
• November 22: CEC webinar: Increase Your Revenue by Clobbering the Competition
• December 13: CEC webinar: Get out of the Truck and Go Online to Own Your Customers

MCA Canada is proud to offer our members an update to the corporate rate when using Choice Hotels. Choice Hotels includes Comfort, Quality, Clarion and a few others like the upscale Ascend Hotel Collection. There are over 325 Choice locations across Canada, and more than 6,300 worldwide. Hotels are conveniently located near major airports, key highways and business districts. You'll also be able to connect easily with colleagues using free high-speed Internet, and jump-start your day with free breakfast at most locations. Contact the MCAC office for your discount code by emailing daryl@mcac.ca, calling 613-232-0492 or visiting www.mcac.ca.

With the holiday season soon upon us, Operation Eyesight is saying "thank you” to everyone who has contributed to this very important cause. Learn more about some of the people in the developing world whose lives your donations have changed. And as we start to look ahead to the holiday season, please consider making Operation Eyesight your charity of choice—as it is ours.