Reflections on my year as Chair and facing the challenges ahead, together
To the Halifax Chamber members and Halifax business community, I am excited to share my last official message as Chair for the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
As my term is coming to an end, I am proud of the many memorable moments I have had as Chair, like being on the cover of Business Voice magazine. The photographer who took the photos for the cover was Romaine from Basha Koncepts Media. Romaine is a new immigrant and extremely talented—I really enjoyed the process.
After the magazine came out, I was stopped in the street and in shopping malls. I was surprised how many ordinary folks read the magazine. It was an incredible experience, especially considering I was stepping into something new, leading a business organization like the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. I am thankful to Patrick (the President and face of the Halifax Chamber), my fellow directors, and the team for always supporting me and providing guidance throughout the year.
When I first started as Chair, I was eager to see what the year would bring. I knew I was joining a forward-thinking board, one that was very progressive. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are hot topics right now, and I’m proud that the Chamber has made a conscious, intentional decision to be an inclusive organization. My vision was to “Create Room at the Table for All.”
It’s clear we’ve made significant strides in this area. This past year, the Chair, Vice-Chair, and three committee members were all women, which is a significant achievement. We’ve moved beyond the 50-30 challenge! We have one of the most diverse boards we’ve ever had, and that’s something to be celebrated. Together, we will continue to work on strengthening our membership, advocating for them, and supporting them.
The Chamber has been at the forefront of many conversations this past year, including important discussions with our government and neighbours in the U.S. We have worked hard to educate and inform our members about changes taking place. While our members have seen relief with tax reductions, such as the recent temporary HST break, we are now in a precarious position with U.S. tariffs on the horizon.
Healthcare is another top priority, particularly as Nova Scotia’s population is aging (see our Cover Story on page 18). We will see more people moving into long-term care, and as our population ages, we must figure out how to care for those who have contributed so much to society. The challenge is to ensure that care for the elderly remains affordable.
At the same time, we need to prepare our youth to step into roles where there are gaps. I’ve seen firsthand how our Chamber has benefited from the talent and expertise of students who bring innovative ideas to the workplace. So, how do we engage these future leaders and encourage them to see their relevance in this space?
Affordable housing remains a major issue, not only for individuals but also for our members. Many businesses struggle because finding affordable, appropriate spaces to run their businesses is increasingly difficult.
Despite our challenges, I believe that Nova Scotia is a rich province. We have valuable resources and exceptionally talented people. We need to bring a collective voice on the issues we face. We can’t afford to have isolated voices; we need to work together, share ideas, and come up with creative solutions.
This requires transformative change, but division never solves problems. Political, economic, and social sectors must engage with each other. Everyone has something valuable to contribute. It can be challenging, but we must step outside our comfort zones and take risks.
Speaking as an immigrant, we often come to a new country with an idealized vision of what we can achieve, only to find barriers in the way. But we have often found creative ways to overcome these obstacles. When we do, it is important that we share our success and engage with others, so they can see that if we can do it, they can too, because we have a brilliant future ahead of us.
At some point, I’ll step off the stage, but I want to know that when I do, I’ve made a difference. I hope I’ve cleared a path for someone else. If I’ve made a difference in just one person’s life or business, I’ll consider my time well spent. Serving as Chair has been an honour and a privilege, and I hope more people will step forward and do the same because there’s nothing to lose.
Thank you to our Halifax Chamber members, community, staff, and board, and my mentors for their confidence in me for making this such a fulfilling and meaningful year!
