Canada’s top CEOs get an exclusive chance to bend Finance Minister Flaherty’s ear

Wouldn't it be nice to have a two-day confab with the finance minister to help shape Canada's economic future?

Well, if you're a president or CEO of one Canada's largest companies, maybe you got an invitation to Jim Flaherty's annual summer policy retreat currently taking place in Wakefield, Quebec.

That's right: Every year, Flaherty hosts a closed-door policy retreat with the who's-who of corporate Canada to discuss what Ottawa should do to give the economy a boost.

According to documents obtained by the Globe and Mail, at last year's sessions the minister was urged to adopt measures to reduce the pay of Canadian workers, limit union power by enacting U.S.-style right-to-work legislation, and allow two-tier health care.

Labour issues surface in several discussion categories, with the general view that Canadian workers are overpriced.

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"Need to address wage differentials in labor market among countries; we are losing jobs to other countries," reads a point-form summary of one of the discussions.

"Right to Work legislation should be pondered as it creates inequities in productivity; US example was provided."

There were also calls for a higher retirement age and to open Canada's shipping, telecom and airline industries to more foreign competition.

Flaherty defends the in-camera meetings, claiming that the participants come from many backgrounds and that it's important to hear from Canadian CEOs because of their influence on the economy.

"We do ensure that there are representatives from all walks of Canadian life there including from the academic community, economists," he said.

But an analysis of this year's guest list shows that the vast majority of guests — 17 out of the 22 invitees — are from the corporate community.

Certainly, soliciting the ideas and opinions of business leaders is important, but there are questions Canadians should be asking about these 'exclusive' meetings.

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Should a special interest group that much 'face time' with our finance minister? Are labour groups, environmental groups and social activists getting the same time? How much is the Harper government influenced by these meetings in say decisions with regards to back-to-work legislation?

And finally, who makes the invitation list: a lowly bureaucrat or a party staffer who has a copy of the Conservative party donor list to guide him?

Thankfully, according to the Globe, the participants paid their own way to the retreat in 2011, while taxpayers were on the hook for only $43,237.76 — the cost of meals, room rentals and other expenses.