The CRFA president’s talk, “The Importance of Restaurants in Every Community in North America,” highlighted the Canadian restaurant scene and CRFA objectives. He stated that “to create a positive image of restaurants in Canada, we have to have a united voice to gain politicians and other’s trust.” He added, “This [positive image] is too important to have it limited by a split voice.” To this end, he described the CRFA’s current strategies as being focused on providing information; building business confidence; and “branding” the importance of the industry as a wealth creator. He cited the CRFA’s recent Chef’s Survey and the decision to create CRFA’s own magazine.
On the topic of business confidence, Whyte discussed CRFA’s role in tackling credit-card fees and the B.C. HST controversy. On branding, he cited his visits with provincial premiers “to change the image of our industry.”
