Hockey goalies and baseball closers share a similar trait that makes them great at their jobs: the ability to forget a failure.
When these athletes get past a bad goal or a blown save, we can all learn a little from them as we continue to patch together this Humpty Dumpty economy of ours. Looking forward to new opportunities, rather than backward and lamenting about the good old days, will help keep momentum going in the right direction.
Even now the world’s manufacturers are racing away from recession, and Canada needs to keep pace. Positioning ourselves, once again, as a world leader in manufacturing doesn’t just affect those in our industry, but many millions of other Canadians as well.
According to Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the recent federal budget helps, but also falls short in some areas. According to CME President and CEO Jayson Myers, more targeted measures are needed to sustain innovation, investment, and growth in this country, and I agree with him.
After the budget came down, Myers and CME responded.
“We worked with the government directly to reduce tariffs for manufacturing, and I believe this is an important cost-savings mechanism for companies,” he said. “While the savings are marginal, it is a bottom line boost to cash flow for manufacturers at a time when it is needed the most.”
Tariffs have been eliminated on all imports of machinery and equipment, materials, and components imported for manufacturing use in Canada, which will save Canadian manufacturers $300 million.
Also in the budget is $32 million extra for the country’s research granting councils and an increase in funding for the National Research Council’s regional economic development agencies.
However, this year’s budget did not realize some hopes that the current two-year write-off for investments in equipment would be extended past 2011, the current end date. In fact, CME was hoping for a five-year extension.
So the government has ponied up a little more cash; now it’s time for you to get some.
This money should help drive innovation and help Canadian companies move forward in this new economy. It’s time to look forward, Canada, not back.
After all, even Edmund Hillary’s Sherpa guide, upon nearing the Everest summit, probably muttered something to the Kiwi explorer about not looking down.
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