CIFFA Forwarder Magazine

5 THE FORWARDER | WINTER 2025 “CIFFA Corp. in Ottawa – Meet Ben Martin, GR Specialist” By Ben Martin For most Canadians, what goes on with the daily business of our Nation’s Capital is somewhat of a mystery. From bureaucratic jargon to the shifting policy sands of minority governments, from trying to understand the political doublespeak of both government and opposition members, to attempting to ensure that the best policies and ideas of our leading academic and business experts don’t fall upon deaf ears – I personally understand how it is that many Canadians feel a disconnect with the ivory tower presumptions of Ottawa and how decisions made in our capital impact Canadians’ daily lives, even if they don’t always perceive how. Accordingly, I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that will come from the new role I have taken on as Government Relations Lead Advisor (based out of Ottawa) for CIFFA Corp. After 18 years of public service, it is apparent to me the only “sure thing” about how governments work in Ottawa is the sense of constant churn and change, and having success from a GR lens in this type of environment means having a strong strategic and moral compass guiding your every move through these moments. Those who have worked in the trenches of government will tell you they loved the demanding environment, high pressure meetings, and the amazing array of stakeholders they met and worked with – well, at least that is what this seasoned political veteran will tell you. There is no reward without a negligible risk; and as our Prime Minster has said: “Fortune favours the Bold.” My first day of work was “Budget Day 2007” with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It was an incredible time to work in Government. Since then, I have had the privilege to work in portfolios such as Science & Technology, Justice, Energy, Health, and most recently International Trade and Labour – simultaneously. During the last few years, I have served in the role of Chief of Staff for different parliamentarians. It is precisely this expertise I now bring to CIFFA Corp. to work on files of national importance for our members – the backbone of Canada’s supply chain. My objective is to be like the Wayne Gretzky of Government Relations – I need to know where the policy puck is going before it gets there, and I will help position our CIFFA team accordingly. Through my years of experience, I’m able to read the Government tea leaves to learn which way the policy winds are blowing; and if a government is going off-course I am confident enough to know the strategic path towards ensuring our objectives at CIFFA Corp. will still be met, as expected, on behalf of our incredible members. Through understanding what shapes successful governments, we are placing CIFFA Corp at the decision-shaping table by working proactively and diligently to ensure that the Good Ship Canada stays on course. And of course, we are not afraid to offer guidance to the Ships’ Captains to get us back on track to where we need to go when it comes to Canada’s Supply Chain. This effort began in earnest in July 2025, with my hiring as the new Government Relations Lead Advisor. Thus began a review process of every communication, meeting and policy point that CIFFA Corp. has taken forward in recent years. Likewise, my engagement with CIFFA committees – including a full review of their past efforts, ensured I was up to speed with the incredible expertise our members bring to the table. After charting a course with CIFFA leadership, we were ready to launch the advocacy phase of our strategy; reaching out for meetings with the highest level and most appropriate federal stakeholders including ministerial staff, bureaucrats, MPs, Ministers and Shadow Ministers, and likeminded organizations seeking to collaborate on various issues that we held mutual interests in. Since Parliament resumed in mid-September, we have held many important meetings with high level federal stakeholders from across the Ottawa ecosystem. Each meeting builds our strong narrative as being a leading member of Canada’s supply chain. Every discussion places us closer to the epicentre of decision making in Ottawa where we need to be. Heading into 2026, our strategic flourish will see us working at the absolute nexus of Official Ottawa as we engage with specific Ministers and the Prime Minister’s Office on a variety of issues that impact CIFFA members daily. We are not simply just a part of the discussion – we are now being recognized as part of the solution, and that is a very good place for CIFFA to be right now. The challenges facing our collective industries have never been greater, or more global in scope than ever before. The best federal intentions can be waylaid with a single pronouncement from the US administration – a single misstep from a Premier or other politician who misspeaks could cost our economy billions of dollars; the time for misplaced commentary or deceitful practices for political gain must be let go to the wayside. And in Government Relations circles in Ottawa, being an honest interlocutor is now more important than ever before. We will continue to stand in support of those across Government lines who seek to build up and enhance Canada. We will not be bogged down in pointless political rhetoric. Fortune favours the bold – and in 2026 I expect to see many successes by CIFFA Corp. as we move forward, thinking about and enacting our strategic efforts at every step.