Donyah Farhat

Advocating for programs and funding that support employment services and broader workforce development efforts, including upskilling, reskilling, career exploration, and support for businesses. Advocating for continued and/or increased funding for employment, language, youth, newcomer, and women's services. Immigration programing, with respect to advocating for government supports for newcomers to Canada, including settlement services, supports for foreign credential recognition, training/upskilling, pre-arrival services, language supports, and employment. Advocating for more government supports for youth, including youth programs that provide employment opportunities, training/upskilling, wrap around supports, community engagement, and mental health supports. Government investment with respect to innovations in language services applications. Amendments to existing government funded program contracts. This includes requests to increase, expand, or otherwise adjust government contracts for programs that Achev operates.

Federal policies that unlock public land for affordable housing by providing incentives for land trusts and private developers to acquire it at below-market rates, ensuring its dedicated use for affordable housing. That the government develop a National Workforce Strategy that features support to expand pre-apprenticeship programs to support the creation of a complete pipeline of talent into the construction workforce. Pursue federal investment in Blue Door's enterprise training model to facilitate housing creation, skills development, and homelessness reduction. Engage government on skills training for newcomers to Canada and the country's existing workforce. That the government make Blue Door a key partner in establishing a Skilled Trades Talent Hub in the 905 area, in the style of the Workforce Hubs created by the Biden administration across the United States.

That the government make Blue Door a key partner in establishing a Skilled Trades Talent Hub in the 905 area, in the style of the Workforce Hubs created by the Biden administration across the United States. That the government develop a National Workforce Strategy that features support to expand pre-apprenticeship programs to support the creation of a complete pipeline of talent into the construction workforce. Pursue federal investment in Blue Door's enterprise training model to facilitate housing creation, skills development, and homelessness reduction. Federal policies that unlock public land for affordable housing by providing incentives for land trusts and private developers to acquire it at below-market rates, ensuring its dedicated use for affordable housing. Engage government on skills training for newcomers to Canada and the country's existing workforce.

Discuss with the Minister's office the appropriate mechanisms for interfacing with cross-country delegations engaged in bilateral exchanges on public employment services models. Seeking greater activation of Labour Market Development Agreements to align with small and medium-sized business hiring, training, and retention needs, leveraging community-based Employment Service Providers. Activating a national workforce framework that aligns federal employment services, housing, immigration, and infrastructure planning at the community level, with Employment Service Providers recognized as delivery infrastructure for national workforce outcomes. Seeking stable, multi-year federal funding for: youth employment programming through ESDC, including reinstatement of COVID-era flexibility provisions for Canada Summer Jobs and work-integrated learning (WIL) initiatives, to address rising youth unemployment rates and fragmented pathways into the workforce. Engaging with the Minister's office to discuss youth employment policy priorities, including participation in sector events and a planned advocacy meeting with First Work members. Advocating for alignment between federal employment verification requirements and provincial service delivery models to address gaps in program administration. Seeking sustained, flexible, federal investment in youth employment programs and related funding mechanisms. Arranging and attending meetings and outreach with Public Office Holders for a lobby day and reception. First Work would like to share insights and recommendations for youth programming, employment services and advance solutions for youth employment. Seeking funding from Government of Canada to capacitate First Work member organizations to deliver employment services and to support small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Communications about the review of the Lobbying Act, including the Commissioner of Lobbying’s recommendations to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Discussion about the impact of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review on the Nonprofit sector Preparation for e-filing webinars for charities; Discussion about the Comprehensive Expenditure Review Supporting implementation of Senate Committee recommendations on the charitable sector. Addressing disruptions to donations due to postal strikes; tax credit timing adjustments. Advocating for financial relief and policy responses to emergencies and rising issues (e.g., tariffs). Inclusion of charities in SME-focused programs like Mitacs and BDC advisory services. Budget consultations re: charitable giving incentives, regulatory reforms, and program access. Bill S-222 and S-216: Amendments enabling partnerships with non-qualified donees. Support for the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience and digital skills development. Supporting sector-wide digital capacity and transformation. Advancing reform of the disbursement quota for registered charities. Improving access and equity in federal funding programs for nonprofits and charities. Strengthening workforce supports for paid and unpaid nonprofit labour. Supporting federal data collection (e.g., Satellite Account, national nonprofit surveys). Advocating for a federal “home” in government for the nonprofit sector. Building knowledge on the activities of the nonprofit sector.

CFIB supports the principle behind the Canada Jobs Grant but encourages flexibility in its implementation and consideration of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs)' needs. For example, introducing a permanent refundable tax credits for co-op and internship hires and reducing red tape from programs like Canada Summer Jobs to make it easier for small businesses to continue hiring youth. Advocating on behalf of small and medium-sized businesses to facilitate trade between Canada and other countries (CAN-US tariffs, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, Chinese tariffs). Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) shares its suggestions for Budget 2026 focusing on: reducing the small business tax rate from 9% to 6% and increasing the small business deduction (SBD) threshold to $700,000 and index it to inflation going forward. Canada is experiencing an “entrepreneurial drought”: a sustained period where business closures consistently outpace new business starts, leading to a shrinking entrepreneurial base and declining confidence in entrepreneurship. CFIB recommends that reversing this trend should be treated as a national economic priority. Sharing small businesses' views on Labour Code changes, impact on small businesses and the need to ensure the fluidity of the supply chain. Sharing survey results on improving CFIA customer service to encourage the review of their operations to better meet the needs of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) - reducing red tape and facilitating food mobility within Canada. Sharing data information and recommendations related to the state of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) overall and for specific sectors which could also include provincial data. Promoting reforms to the Competition Act that will ensure small businesses have an equitable opportunity to compete in today’s economy, especially as small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) have noted an increase in large corporate giants within Canada. Shipping costs pose a significant barrier for small business, as such we continue to advocate for favourable shipping rates with carriers (including the cost of shipping along with better service levels and addressing the work stoppage at Canada Post). Presenting the views of small business owners based on our survey data to the Canada Revenue Agency to share ways of improving customer service interactions with small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and suggest ways to ease the tax burden on small business owners as well as increase accountability within the agency. CFIB continues to monitor the effects of the Consumer Product Safety Act on small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and other issues raised related to the mandate of Health Canada. We also continue to monitor customer service interactions between our members and Health Canada. Any issues are raised with officials. CFIB advocates for simplification to the federal procurement process on behalf of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Lobbying to reduce Red Tape by focusing on removing interprovincial trade barriers, facilitating labour mobility and improving government customer service. This includes providing input for the consultations on the Annual Regulatory Modernization Bill. Goods and Services Tax/ Harmonized Sales Tax Administration with regards to Transitional Rules, Out of Province Sales Rules, Point-of-Sale Rebate, and fillings. Retirement Income Policies, and proposed Canada Pension Plan increases. CFIB is against mandatory increases in Canada Pension Plan, and has provided alternative approaches. CFIB has also shared recommendations to reduce disincentives to work for older workers. Presenting the views of small business owners on infrastructure spending through member survey results, mandate votes and other CFIB research. Offering funding solutions and alternatives to government proposals on transit and infrastructure expansion. Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

Encouraging the public to submit written correspondences such as letters to federal leaders and MPs urging them to implement a Youth Climate Corps (supporting motion M-105) and a Just Transition Transfer. Advocating for more ambitious climate emergency laws, policies and programs. Advocate for the creation of new programs and economic institutions to expedite greenhouse gas reductions, such as new climate-oriented crown corporations, a Youth Climate Corps and a new federal just transition transfer program. Advocate for increased federal spending on climate action and infrastructure. We are advocating for the federal government to boost its climate spending to 2% of GDP, including increased transfers to provinces/territories/municipalities/Indigenous nations for climate infrastructure (public transit, renewable energy, zero-emission housing), and to fund a Youth Climate Corps.

Increasing funding for literacy. Stabilizing current sources of Federal government funding for United for Literacy. Increasing awareness of the issue of literacy. Increasing the profile of United for Literacy. Federal funding is used to design, deliver and evaluate literacy and essential skills programs that promote success within formal education, training, and employment systems in Canada. Activities include sharing information about literacy challenges in Canada; educating and raising awareness among public servants and elected officials; sharing results of program evaluation (impact, best practices, lessons learned, implications for the sector, needs of the Literacy & Essential Skills sector); advocating for policy changes and program investments.

International Student Policy Development. Student Assistance Programs. Discussions to support co-operative education and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. Tri-Council Grant Programming (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) and Canada Foundation for Innovation, with respect to research funding Post-Secondary Policies to advance knowledge development and mobilization. Legislation and budgetary measures to support the role of post-secondary education to advance education, innovation, research and science. Discussions regarding supports for research programming related to reconciliation, health, climate, energy, oceans and aerospace initiatives. Partnerships, Policy and funding to advance research, development and deployment of community-based clean energy systems Funding for research and campus infrastructure Advance discussions and supports for UVic’s research centres Continue to advance partnerships and funding to support Ocean Networks Canada Development of a national network for CanAssist to increase opportunities to develop assistive technology equipment for people with disabilities Canada-wide. Support for education and importance of knowledge based economy. Role of Canadian University Research Parks in Commercialization of Research and Technology.