Premier lauds ethnic business organizations

Emerging ethnic business organizations are helping this province strengthen its economic advantage over the competition, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty told the local Caribbean business community Thursday.

"By pulling together members of the Caribbean diasporas, you are helping to strengthen the economic advantage provided by our diversity," McGuinty told members of the Canada Caribbean Business Council at a dinner held at the Holiday Inn Select on Peel Centre Drive in Brampton. "By working with other people and organizations the CCBC is doing much to build opportunities for your community and indeed for all Ontarians. And that means you are positioning Ontario to build stronger ties including a stronger relationship with the Caribbean."

About 200 people attended the event, hosted by the CCBC in conjunction with the Brampton Board of Trade.

Among those present were numerous local and foreign dignitaries, including consular generals representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

In his address, McGuinty said it is vital for governments and business leaders work together in order to generate success.

In the case of Ontario's various ethnic communities, it is essential for those who have found success to help pave the way for others by giving back, and by acting as role models.

"As business leaders you can show our young people the way as role models because when young people see someone who looks like them in a position like yours, they can start to see themselves there too," McGuinty said. "All of us who come here are obligated to bring honesty and a solid work ethic. And all of us who are already here are obligated to build opportunity for those who are arriving. That's the deal."

The CCBC was launched nearly a year ago with the intension of acting as a venue where business people of Caribbean origin can network and find support.

The aim of the group is also to spearhead change within their own community, in part by providing a means by which young people and women can find employment and gain business experience.

Prior to McGuinty's speech, a number of speakers addressed the crowd.

Bali Singh, CCBC chair, told the audience flat out the purpose of the event was to attract financial support for the organization.

He used the opportunity to ask for help and lay out exactly what the group intends to achieve.

"Many of best and brightest people immigrate to Ontario with their families, unable to find friendly business organizations in their community. These people end up getting lost in menial jobs," Singh told the crowd. "This is where the CCBC can help, by becoming that bridge that links those individuals with others to find meaningful jobs, to start their own business, to give them the opportunity to support their families and to become contributors to this great province."

Singh said the CCBC is geared to creating mentorship and sponsorship programs for youth, initiatives to increase the profile of Caribbean women and advocating on behalf of the community.

"There are three main things we want to see happen for our community. We want to see a sense of pride being reinstalled in our youth. By bringing our business people together, we believe that we can be that bridge between mentorship and job placement for them," Singh said. "We can set the example for our youth to emulate and surpass."

"Tonight you all have the opportunity to form pathways and make connections that will help you help each other and grow together," McGuinty added. "And I wish you every success because your success is Ontario's success."
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