Manitoba Trucking Association

In an era of misinformation and disinformation, we have been working hard at the Manitoba Trucking Association to ensure that our industry members have the tools and knowledge they need to ensure they are operating in compliance.

We started this year with two seminars. The first, Due Diligence in Ensuring Compliance, featured guest hosts William Gardner and Nicole Smith with Pitblado Law. The purpose of this seminar was to help carriers achieve compliance with Part III of the Canada Labour Code and reduce the risk of unintentional misclassification, whether through contract language or through a company’s administrative actions. The risk of misclassification is important for companies to consider, especially if they engage drivers as owner-operators.

That event was followed soon after by Women with Drive Hits the Road, hosted in partnership with Trucking HR Canada. This event featured a panel discussion, which included Petro Panin (Manitoba START), Donna Desmarais (Manitoba Métis Federation – MET Program), Brenda McDonald (Opportunities for Employment), and Sherman Kong (AMIK Inc). Moderated by Trucking HR Canada’s Angela Splinter, this event was a discussion on the ways and benefits of recruiting traditionally under-represented groups to the trucking industry.

In April, we hosted our Annual General Meeting and Spring Gala. In between these two events, the Annual RPM Speaker Series was held. This event covered a diverse range of topics, featuring presentations by Andrew Dolhy, Priti Shah, Kim Keating, Dave Kramer, and Catherine Baxter. Starting with ergonomics in the truck, guests then attended separate sessions with speakers on workplace violence and harassment or return to work policies. The event concluded with a presentation by Brandon University researchers on driver health, particularly related to healthy food options available to drivers across the Prairie provinces.

What do all of these events have in common? They were all provided with the purpose of providing accurate information and resources to industry members. Even at the Annual General Meeting, which included presentations from The Honourable Lisa Naylor (Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure), City of Winnipeg Deputy Mayor Janice Lukes, CTA President Stephen Laskowski, and Trucking HR Canada CEO Angela Splinter, there was an opportunity for direct communication amongst government, industry leaders, and MTA members. 

Industry associations exist to work on behalf of industry members. One of the greatest challenges owners and decision-makers face today is ensuring that the information they base decisions on is accurate. And that can be hard to find with the constant barrage of information from media, social media, word-of-mouth, and other sources; there’s always someone who ‘heard’ something different. Information sessions with qualified speakers not only clarify questionable topics for a large audience, but they also help to build working relationships between industry and regulators.

If you aren’t yet a member of your provincial trucking association, consider it. Yes, there are tangible financial benefits of product discounts and reduced rates on training, but there are also intangible benefits. While it’s difficult to put a specific financial value on compliance, knowing that you are doing the right thing – for your drivers, by other employees, and by the general public – is priceless.