BC Business
colin_259.jpgSome goals don't arrive as quickly as you'd like, says B.C. finance minister Colin Hansen, lacing up for the chase.
Nine B.C. leaders – from the worlds of academe, business, government and even Denman Island – look into their crystal balls for the year ahead. You might be surprised by what they see... Colin Hansen B.C. Minister of Finance Colin Hansen, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, was appointed minister of finance last June. He is also minister responsible for the 2010 Olympic Games. What was 2008 “The Year Of”?
colin_259.jpgSome goals don’t arrive as quickly as you’d like, says B.C. finance minister Colin Hansen, lacing up for the chase.
B.C. Minister of Finance
Colin Hansen, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, was appointed minister of finance last June. He is also minister responsible for the 2010 Olympic Games.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? The Year China Made Its Mark on the World. And that the Asia-Pacific region moved to the centre of B.C.’s economic future. The forest sector, for example, has been hit hard by housing starts in the U.S., but in the last three years we’ve seen a quadrupling of wood-product exports to China, a doubling to Korea and a doubling to India. China is the big emerging player on the international stage. We have an opportunity to be a part of that, and I think we’re doing the right things.
What’s your top goal for 2009? It’s going to be really important that we manage the province’s finances in a way that does not risk putting the province back into deficit spending. With responsible fiscal management, there’s no reason this province should ever go back into deficit. Going down to the Feb. 17 budget, that’s one of the principles we’re driving.
What’s your hope for the province? I believe that after the 2010 Winter Games the world will start to recognize Metro Vancouver as the world’s fastest-growing economic centre. Vancouver has all the makings of a leading financial centre, and if you look at the makeup of the province, we can serve the world multilingually and multiculturally. Once we implement the next stage of our corporate tax reductions, we will have the lowest corporate tax rates among the G7 countries. Vancouver is a pretty attractive place from which to do international business.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? Inter-provincial barriers to trade and economic activity. If Canada is going to prosper in the generations ahead, we have to become more open to inter-provincial trade. It’s definitely holding us back. We’re talking about millions of dollars of added cost to the economy – billions nationally.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? The re-election of Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberal government. That doesn’t take a magic wand, though, just a lot of hard work.
What keeps you up at night? I wake up at two o’clock in the morning thinking about challenges. A lot of it is the desire to get things done. You realize that some things don’t happen as fast as you’d like them to.
Anything specific? Not that I’d want to talk about.[pagebreak]
Regional Vice-President and General Manager, Shangri-La Hotels and resorts
The deluxe Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, which started in 1971 in Singapore, is making its first foray into North America later this month: a 62-storey five-star hotel set to open on West Georgia in Vancouver.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Great Change. The markets are creating a day of reckoning for many – the strong survive; the weak and marginal exit. The same is going to happen in the coming year in the hospitality sector, in both accommodations and restaurants.
What keeps you up at night? People. If we weren’t able to find great people, that would keep me awake. One of my great concerns for the future of our industry is getting great staff. But we had over 2,800 people apply to participate in our job fair, so the initial signs are very good.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? Two thousand well-heeled, nicely dressed, charming and polite paying guests show up at the hotel; the Canadian dollar dives, so that our neighbours to the south can again afford to travel north; the U.S. economy recovers; and Americans stop rereading Faith Popcorn’s book about “cocooning.”
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? We need to deliver to our guests an emotional sense of both hospitality and peaceful calm. This January represents Shangri-La’s entry into the Western world after 37 years in Asia, so it’s an incredibly important year. Every hotel out there is delivering a bed, bath and toilet – that’s expected. But we give the emotional experience – and it can be taught. If we train our associates well, they will deliver thoughtfulness, grace and efficiency in a tangible way.
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Chair and Interim CEO, BC Cancer Foundation
The BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising arm of the BC Cancer Agency. It received its first donation, of $50, in 1935.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Heightened Interest in Targeting Donations. There is no doubt that in 2008 more and more donors were interested in investing in specific areas of cancer research – either a tumour group or a part of the province where they wanted their dollars to stay.
What keeps you up at night? Making sure that we have the CEO that can lead the foundation to that next level.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? I’d make cancer disappear. I’d make my job disappear.
What’s your top goal for 2009? Funding research that has the greatest impact on people’s lives. Focusing on cancers that affect the most people – lung, breast and colon – or those cancers that respond best to research.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? We need to continue to raise significant funds in this province. If we’ve been raising $20 million a year, we should double it to $40 million.
Co-founder, Brightlight Pictures inc.
After 18 months at the helm of Shavick Entertainment, Williamson struck out on his own and in 2001 founded Brightlight, one of B.C.’s largest independent film and television producers.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? International Co-production. We shot in Asia and Europe and co-financed with Singapore, Australia, Northern Ireland, the U.K., Germany and the U.S. It was truly an international year for us.
What keeps you up at night? Very little keeps me up at night, but when the dollar was cresting over 90 cents, absolutely it was the dollar. There are wonderful things for the larger community when the dollar is high, but for somebody who sells primarily to America, the low Canadian dollar is a godsend.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear –on Jan. 1? An incredibly commercial independent script – that’s the Holy Grail. A film that’s both incredibly commercial and creatively pleasing. I want to find the new Usual Suspects or Shawshank Redemption. In a perfect world, my dream project is a Canadian Saving Private Ryan.
What’s your top goal for 2009? Diversification. That’s what lets us survive in the ever-changing film world. Vancouver used to rely entirely on the American work that came up. But as our dollar strengthened, what allowed us to be successful was the ability to finance and shoot internationally.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? The loonie needs to end up somewhere in the 70-cent range. Without being morbid, a weak Canadian dollar is extremely good for the film industry. As a Canadian patriot, that’s a tough thing to say, but from a film perspective it does a lot to get Americans to return in droves.
President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Victoria
This year the University of Victoria ranked the third best “comprehensive” university in Canada by Maclean’s magazine. Turpin was appointed president and vice-chancellor in 2000.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Remarkable Accomplishments. Last year we got the largest contribution to a university endowment in Canadian history ($95 million from the Province of B.C. to establish the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions), and we opened $150-million worth of new buildings.
What keeps you up at night? The lack of inflationary funding for universities. Every year, as our costs rise due to inflation, we have to cut things in order to pay the increased costs.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? Enhanced federal support for research and innovation, with per-student funding of B.C. universities increased to be internationally competitive.
What’s your top goal for 2009? The big one is to embed the university even more in the regional community and economy. In light of the current economic challenges, people are looking to us for even greater leadership.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? Students continuing to report satisfaction with the quality of the learning environment at the University of Victoria, and faculty continuing to be among the leaders nationally in securing research funding.
President, Squirrel Systems
Since 1984 Burnaby-based Squirrel Systems has been putting its touch-screen registers in restaurants, clubs and hotels across North America.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Significant Change. Three of us on the senior management team of seven are new. With the new faces comes a renewed commitment. This company is no longer complacent. Now it’s aggressive, customer-centric and fiscally responsible.
What keeps you up at night? People. Being able to motivate our people to ensure that they’re happy in their development within our company.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? An acquisition for our company – one that would enhance our business in the global marketplace.
What’s your top goal for 2009? Expanding our distribution network in the United States. Also, I encourage the members of our senior management team to spend a day with other industry-leading enterprises in Greater Vancouver. Nobody has all the good ideas, and we can learn a lot from successful people in business here.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? Enhancement of our bottom line. And digital expansion in the U.S. marketplace. [pagebreak]
Owner, Denman Island Chocolate Ltd.
Denman Island Chocolate, a seven-person business located on one of B.C.’s Gulf Islands, produces 3,000 organic chocolate bars a day.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Transition, absolutely. We had a building built, moved into the new facility and bought a 40-year-old chocolate-bar wrapping machine made in Spain.
What keeps you up at night? Staff issues. I only have women who work for me. They’re great workers but the relationships can be fraught. “You look great today. That’s a nice hairstyle.” These things go a long way.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? A primary chocolate manufacturer would appear on Denman Island. As a small producer, I’m reliant on large producers to make my base chocolate.
What’s your top goal for 2009? Getting away from it more. I want the business to be able to walk on its own. Denman Island is an intense place to run a business. It’s a small island, and that makes everything complicated.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? Nothing new. Chocolate is recession-proof. If we were making $500 shoes, I’d be concerned. But I’m making $3 chocolate bars, so I’m confident.
CEO, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc.
In 2004 Peter Blake became the first non-Ritchie to lead the Richmond-based industrial auctioneer, the world’s largest.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? More of the Same. I hate to characterize this as a good time – there’s a downturn and people are struggling – but, for us, any change in the status quo is good. Our business is built on fulfilling the need when there are changes in the marketplace. And when there’s drastic change like this, there’s a drastic need for what we do – which is, basically, create liquidity.
What keeps you up at night? The only trouble I have is when I wake up going, “Aha!” It’s not sleep-worry. It’s the opposite. The opportunities wake me up.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? Can I say competitors? Just kidding. I would have all of the people who are half mental – the right half – submit resumés to us. We chase people – that’s the key to our strategy.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success? We need to continue on the path that we’ve been on. In 2008 we did just shy of $2 billion gross auction proceeds – about $800 million of that in Canada. If we achieve the same market penetration in the U.S., that’s a $6-billion market, easy.
Executive Director, Pivot Legal Society
Pivot Legal, which John Richardson founded in 2000 with Ann Livingston, is a non-profit legal advocacy organization located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”? Managing Growth Financially. We’ve gone from four employees three years ago to 18 now. We are experimenting with different revenue models and keeping ourselves sustainable – it’s a challenge.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1? We’d see 6,000 units of social housing in Vancouver to replace the SROs and house the homeless. But why stop there? Why not formally recognize a human right to housing across the country and fund a national housing strategy to house everyone?
What’s your top goal for 2009? Achieving profitability for our social enterprise law firm, Pivot Legal LLP. Selling legal services to fund public-interest advocacy is an important long-term strategy for Pivot, and we’re now within striking distance of showing financial viability for a new approach to practicing law.