CIFFA Forwarder Spring 2025

4 THE FORWARDER | SPRING 2025 CIFFA Participates in Canadian Chamber of Commerce Manufacturing & Supply Chains Mission to Washington Julia Kuzeljevich, Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs for CIFFA, was a participant March 5-7 in a mission to Washington, D.C., organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Several Canadian MPs and senators joined the Wednesday evening reception that kicked off the event. Presentations were made to the group of more than 40 delegates by speakers from BDO Canada, the Embassy of Canada in Washington, Export Development Canada, Future Borders Coalition, Minerva Technology Policy Advisors, PortsToronto, the United States Council for International Business, the Wilson Center, and both the U.S. and Canadian Chambers of Commerce. CIFFA held its 77th annual AGM April 2 in Montreal at the headquarters of the Montreal Port Authority in the port’s model room. The event was attended by CIFFA’s Board of Directors and 39 member attendees. A luncheon was followed by a tour of the Port of Montreal’s dock facilities. During the meeting, current CIFFA President of the Board of Directors Arnon Melo thanked members for their attendance and their support of the association. This is Arnon Melo’s last term as President, and he hands over the reign to Mr. Paul Courtney of Courtney Agencies for a two-year term. Letters: CIFFA has been busy on the advocacy front this quarter. The association has written to the CBSA regarding the CARM program and a request for the extension of the grace period, to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada to express concerns regarding Canada Post’s decision to have its subsidiary, Purolator, acquire Livingston International, a leading firm in customs brokerage and freight forwarding. CIFFA wrote supporting the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Canada’s provincial trucking associations in calling for urgent action against Driver Inc., and unsafe trucking operations which are often linked to illegal practices such as forced labour and immigration fraud. As an association also representing dray carriers and freight brokers, we have repeatedly heard concerns within our internal committees about the risks posed by these unlawful practices. CIFFA also addressed the issue of container chassis imports with the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate of The Canadian International Trade Tribunal, regarding the ongoing investigation into the importation of container chassis from Vietnam and to express concerns about the findings issued by the Tribunal on February 18, 2022. EDITORIAL CIFFA participates in mission to Washington Canadian Chamber of Commerce Mission to Washington.