We’re excited to celebrate RDEE Prince Edward Island and its 10-year Member-versary with the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce!
We did a Q&A with RAYMOND J. ARSENAULT, Gestionnaire de communication / Communications manager / Gestionnaire / Manager, to learn more about the business, their experience as a Chamber member, and what’s ahead.
What do you love most about running your business?
We’re the provincial francophone economic development council and the parent organization of the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI. We have offices in several regions of PEI. We love being able to support businesses in their development, and we especially enjoy seeing them succeed. We also help with all kinds of employment and community economic development programs.
How have you seen the Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce grow and evolve during your years as a member?
We greatly appreciate the GCACC standing up and lobbying for entrepreneurs’ rights and for playing such a huge role in the establishment of the PEI Business Council. We’ve seen the Chamber grow in numbers as well as in influence on the political scene regarding standing up for Island businesses.
What have you appreciated the most about being a Chamber member over the years?
In addition to your great lobbying service, we particularly appreciate the wide variety of events that you organize to help inform and educate your members. We, too, believe in the great value of networking, so thank you so much for giving us many opportunities to meet and chat with other businesspeople.
What’s something your customers might not know about you or your business?
In the past year, we’ve set up a new francophone Employment Support Service in six areas of the province, with three of them (Wellington, Summerside and Charlottetown) being manned and three of them (Debois, Rustico and Rollo Bay) unmanned.
What does “community” mean to you, and how do you stay connected?
Community is at the core of our mission since we do community economic development. It’s all about supporting others in their attempts to find their place, their “home”, where they feel accepted and where they feel a responsibility to give back. Caring and giving will always come back to you tenfold.
What’s one thing about PEI you think people often overlook or don’t appreciate enough?
We’re not just potatoes, lobsters and Anne of Green Gables. PEI has an extremely diverse economy in all kinds of sectors and industries – from biochemistry to alternative energy to aerospace and advanced technology. All of these sectors create jobs.
If you had one extra hour each day, how would you spend it?
Mostly on catching up on things that we didn’t have time to do earlier in the day. There’s never enough time.
What are you looking forward to in the next year?
Developing our programs more so that we can better serve a greater number of clients, including both job seekers and businesses.
Outside of work, what brings you joy or helps you recharge?
The great outdoors, listening to music and watching great concerts.
What advice would you give to newer businesses on PEI, based on the changes and growth you’ve witnessed?
The best way to fit in is to get involved in your local community. Sponsor events, donate to local causes – in other words, become a good neighbour. Businesses that do this tend to do better because pretty much everyone on PEI has a small-town heart. We’re neighbours helping neighbours.
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