Opportunities North

September 30 - October 2, 2008

Opportunities North ’08 promises to be the biggest economic development conference and trade show ever to be hosted in the Yukon, and you can be guaranteed a front row seat! BOOK NOW and take advantage of our spectacular early-bird rates.

The Yukon’s economy has grown steadily since we last hosted this event in 2005. We have seen a dramatic increase in mineral exploration and development, the housing market has gone through the roof, unemployment is at an all time low.

Opportunities North ’08 will feature more than 15,000 sq. ft. of exhibitor space and some of the newest and most well appointed conference rooms anywhere in the north!

For more information or to register visit the website: www.opportunitiesnorth.com or call the Yukon Chamber of Commerce telephone: (867) 667-2000

Early Bird Rates Expires September 1st, 2008

The 23rd Annual General Meeting and Elections of Officers for the Yukon Chamber of Commerce will take place on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 12:00 Noon at the High Country Inn & Conference Centre, 4051-4th Avenue, Whitehorse Yukon.
Resolutions must be submitted to the office of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce by 5:00pm, September 15, 2008 in order to be considered at this AGM. Watch for a Complete Agenda! Contact us for more information.

Chinese Proverb, a word from the wise.

Congratulations, you’ve just won a $1,000,000£ lottery in London, England! Sound familiar?

Like anywhere else, the Yukon is not insulated from the myriad scam artists out there that would rather not work for their money… they’d much sooner try to bilk you out of yours. According to the Canadian Better Business Bureau, there are a few points you should keep in mind.

1. Never succumb to the ‘hard sell” tactics that many scam artists employ. Resist the “one day only” offers. Resolve to avoid sales or investment pitches urging you to “act now”, or lose this “once in a lifetime” opportunity forever. Think things through.. talk to a business associate or friend.. before making that final decision.

2. Get everything in writing. Be certain that the provisions of any contract you are preparing to sign match with what you agreed to verbally. Also, be certain you check out the “fine print”. Remember, it’s called fine print for a reason, it really is difficult to read…. so most people don’t.

3. With any plan, comes action. If your company operates without a budget, you may be just one receivables payment away from a financial crisis. Resolve to establish and adhere to a budget that will prevent you from justifying the unexpected expense of accepting one of these “once in a lifetime” offers.

4. You’re really not a winner! Perhaps the most popular scams out there today are those dealing with Sweepstakes and Lottery wins… usually from some company you’ve never heard or some country you’ve never been to. Don’t ever send money to collect a “prize”. Legitimate lotteries never ask for any form of payment to claim a prize award. And most of all never cash a cheque and remit a portion of it back for taxes, etc. The cheque will ultimately “bounce”, and you will be out the money you sent… plus the bank charges.

5. “Easy money” is never easy. Resist the work-at-home promotion solicitors promising you big bucks. Be just as aware of advertising from “lenders” offering guaranteed loans, regardless of your employment situation or credit history. These offers usually ask for some kind of “up-front” money and deliver little or nothing in return.

6. Always deal with reliable merchants. Double check that someone wanting to do business with you has a permanent address and a listed telephone number.

7. Last and perhaps the most important tip… always safeguard your personal information. Do not give your credit card number, your bank account number, driver’s licence number or even your social insurance number to anyone you don’t know. Double check that web sites you may be dealing with are secure. When in doubt, check with your bank or a government agency to verify legitimacy of requests for personal information. A stolen identity is hard to recover from.

…and remember, if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Membership Renewals

It is almost time to renew your membership for 2008-2009. Chamber members will soon receive renewal notices in the mail.

We will continue to work on your behalf with important issues that effect Yukoners’. Please keep us informed of any changes to your business contact information so the Chamber can keep its membership database accurate and up-to-date.

The Chamber looks forward to, continue working with our business members and the Yukon Community Chambers for another year.

Just a reminder, that if you are not planning on renewing your membership and you are receiving the Chambers Group Insurance Plan, it may be cancelled.

Day without Injury

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

On Tuesday, September 2nd, the first work and school day following the Labour Day weekend, people begin resuming their regular lives after a summer of outings, visitors and holidays.
As we resume our regular patterns, it is also an opportunity to make little changes, and some changes are well worth making: injuries are a serious problem in the Yukon.

Yukon males are 3 times more likely to die from injuries as the national average, while Yukon females are 2.5 times more likely to die from injuries as the national average. The majority of injuries are not fatal, but they take their toll as well—on lifestyles, families, businesses and the economy.

Day without Injury is a simple challenge from Dr. Brendan Hanley (Yukon Medical Officer of Health) to every Yukoner to get through one single day without a scratch, bump or bruise.

You may find it easier than you think: just pause for just a moment to think about what you are going to do, and then focus on what you are doing.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Add your organization’s support to the Day without Injury by requesting one or more posters to put up at your business;
• Help get the word out, especially throughout the Day without Injury;
• Take the challenge yourself: get through that one day without so much as a scratch.