 TORONTO — Two years ago, lawyer David Rubin received a call from his friend, Jacques Shore, who was concerned the Canada-Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) was pretty much dormant while bilateral trade between Israel and Canada stood at a modest $900 million.
Leslie Dan and Jacques Shore
Shore had heard concerns about the languishing trade relationship from
Israeli Ambassador Alan Baker, who had made it his goal to improve
economic contacts between the two nations.
“Let’s get involved,” Rubin recalls Shore saying. “So I got involved.”
A couple of weeks ago, the reconstituted CICC held a reception for the organization’s boards of governors and directors at the home of businessman Leslie Dan. The event was an opportunity for CICC leaders to network and shmooze, and for chamber organizers to make a pitch to attract even more members.
Rubin, the CICC’s president, said the group has been operational for only about six to nine months.
“Prior to that, we were building from scratch. We had nothing but a piece of paper with [ideas] written on it.”
As a mark of the CICC’s success, today it boasts 27 directors and 46 governors who are familiar figures in the business and Jewish communities. Individuals such as Walter Arbib, David Azrieli, Gil Blutrich, Dan, Art Eggleton, Nathan Jacobson, Monte Kwinter, Sam Belzberg, Donald Carr, Tony Comper, David Cynamon, Saul Feldberg, Murray Koffler, Joe Lebovic, Philip Reichmann, Harry Rosen, Isadore Sharp, Alex Shnaider, Ed Sonshine and Lawrence Tanenbaum grace the organization’s letterhead.
Rubin, a business lawyer, said that despite the impressive roster of business leaders, the CICC continues to solicit new members. The organization has held 25 events in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and it’s planning to expand its reach to both coasts, with events in Halifax and Vancouver on the agenda.
One of the group’s successes was a November 2006 conference held in conjunction with the law firm Gowlings that led to two Israeli companies – one of them Exent Technologies – filing preliminary prospectuses as part of applications to be listed on the TSX. Had it not been for the economic downturn, two initial public offerings for the companies likely would have been held and the companies would have joined the exchange, Rubin said.
A recently launched interactive website will bring together potential business partners with the idea of promoting trade between the two countries, which has “huge upside potential,” Rubin said.
“We see entrepreneurs across Canada to take advantage of the great opportunities in Israel,” he added. “The chamber’s sophisticated and advanced website will enable those in Canada and Israel to access and exchange business information and potential transactions.”
Ron Yekutiel, the CICC’s executive vice-president, said members will get a leg up in creating business opportunities with Israeli firms. They will be listed in the CICC online database, will view business opportunities online, receive referrals from CICC staff and participate in CICC missions to Israel.
The CICC believes it can call on around 2,000 Canadian prospect and 60 potential Israeli members. Yekutiel called on the governors and directors to promote the organization and attract new members.
Baker attended the reception in what he described as his last official act as ambassador. His four-year term has come to an end and he planned to return to Israel.
The reception, he said, marks “the real takeoff of the CICC after months of planning. It is very gratifying.”
When he first arrived in Ottawa, he set about determining his priorities. As a lawyer who worked for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, he was involved in trade negotiations, among other issues.
Trade, he found, was an important element in developing good bilateral relationships, but it was somewhat lacking between Canada and Israel. Despite the efforts of two or three consulate staffers in Toronto, Canada was too big a country for so few people to cover. At the same time, he saw that Canadians were largely unfamiliar with the Israeli economy and its products. He conceived of reconstituting the chamber of commerce as an independent body to promote business between the two countries.
Such a relationship would benefit both sides, he said.
While he was gratified at the growth of the CICC, there is room for improvement, Baker suggested.
For more information, visit www.canadaisraelchamber.com.
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