The Business Council on National Issues (BCNI) was an important lobbying group in Canada. They are most notable for their pro-free trade advocacy during the Prime Ministership of Brian Mulroney that led to the introduction of the Canadian-American Free Trade Agreement. During this period they were led by Tom D'Aquino . In the 1988 Canadian election the BCNI spent millions of dollars on advertisements in support of free-trade. It is now known as the Canadian Council of Chief Executives .

The Canadian Council of Chief Executives is the premier business lobby group in Canada. They hold tremendous sway over internal and external trade practices. Statistics Canada shows that in 2001 just 4% of all Canadian businesses accounted for 82% of exports. The majority of those 4% are members of the CCCE.