Catherine Swift set to appear as expert witness today at pre-budget hearings<br>in Ontario

TORONTO, Feb. 1 /CNW/ - Catherine Swift, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), has been asked by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs to appear at today's pre-budget hearings as an expert witness.

Swift will outline a series of measures the Ontario government needs to implement to ensure that small- and medium-sized businesses can live up to their full potential and contribute to the province's economic recovery.

"The Ontario government continues to send mixed messages to the province's job creators", said Catherine Swift. "While the plan to reduce personal and corporate taxes is a step in the right direction, you have, for example, the Minister of Labour intent on driving small businesses into the ground".

Joined by Satinder Chera, CFIB's director of provincial affairs in Ontario, Swift will stress that a more coherent small business friendly approach would greatly assist the province's economic recovery, since roughly half of Ontario's GDP and employment is represented by small businesses.

    
    When:     February 1, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.
    Where:    Committee Room 151 of the Main Legislative Building at
              Queen's Park
    

View CFIB's pre-budget recommendations: www.cfib-fcei.ca/english/advocacy/ontario.html

For further information: To arrange an interview with Catherine Swift or Satinder Chera, please contact Meghan Carrington at [phone]