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The Brief: From the Plow to Blockchain: How Technology is Advancing Alberta Agriculture (BONUS) May 25, 2023

Show notes

Alberta's opportunity to contribute to global solutions in agriculture, energy, and health is immense. Seizing this opportunity will take big ideas, lots of collaboration, and a little "can do" attitude.

In the special series of The Brief, called Missions & Moonshots, we are talking to top experts, business leaders, innovators, and thought leaders across Alberta and Canada exploring solutions to the world's biggest challenges in energy, agriculture, and health.

Our guest is Kim McConnell, a renowned Canadian expert in agriculture and Special Advisor to the Business Council of Alberta, and he shares his insights into the role that technology has and will continue to have as we face the global challenge of feeding more people on less land. Our discussion includes:

the challenges with Canada's healthcare systems today
the potential to transform healthcare in Alberta
strengths, assets, opportunities, and challenges to reach our potential
policies and investments needed

The full paper can be read here: http://bit.ly/3h5Lb0k

About Kim McConnell

Kim McConnell is the founder and former CEO of AdFarm, one of the largest agricultural marketing communications firms in North America.

Over the years, Kim has led national and international brand and marketing assignments for many respected national and international agriculture and food companies and has been the catalyst behind many major industry ventures including an initiative to build greater public trust in food and farming.

Kim is also the recipient of many national business awards including "Agri-Marketer of the Year" and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation "Mentor of the Year".

In 2012 he was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. And in 2017 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian award.

Kim remains a director on a number of corporate, industry and volunteer boards and is a mentor to emerging executives and fast-growth companies.

Kim and his family live on an acreage on the edge of Calgary. Kim is passionate about agriculture, food, youth, and the entrepreneurial spirit.

The Brief: The Impact of Wages and Inflation on Canada's Economy May 18, 2023

Show notes

Canadians are feeling the pinch from inflation and higher than normal interest rates, but what can they expect in the months ahead?

On this episode, we speak with Dominique Lapointe, Global Macro Strategist on the Multi-Asset Solutions Team at Manulife for a deep dive into Canada's economy and how we are faring.

We discuss the Bank of Canada's recent decision to hold interest rates, wage growth disparities between Alberta and the rest of the country, how businesses are faring in the current economic environment, and what Canadians should be paying attention to in the coming months.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

The Business Council of Alberta was founded on a simple idea: to make life better for all Albertans. We believe that business has an important role in improving society, and that when business does well, we all do well. We work with the chief executives and leading entrepreneurs of Alberta's largest enterprises to understand the big, long-term challenges that Albertans are facing and work with industry, government, and civil society to solve these problems and build shared prosperity for every person who calls Alberta home.

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

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The Brief: A Discussion on Canada's Relationship with China May 02, 2023

Show notes

China has been the subject of many a headline and many an opinion throughout the years.

As our second largest trading partner, the relationship Canada has with China is, well, important.

And as China has been increasing in its economic power on a global scale over the past decade, politicians, business leaders, and economists alike are asking: what is China's impact on Canadians?

On this episode, we're joined by Canada's former Ambassador to China and renowned expert on Canada-China relations, David Mulroney, for a wide-ranging conversation about the rise and current state of play in China, the impact China has on Canadian prosperity, health, well-being, and security, and what the future of trade and diplomatic relations between these two countries looks like.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Spring Economic Update on Alberta's Economy Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

Alberta has been calling, and Canadians have been answering. Enticed by Alberta's affordable cost of living and opportunity, thousands of people are moving to the province to make their home and living here, injecting some much-needed positivity into the province.

And while affordability and opportunity are attracting people to Alberta, and businesses are optimistic about our economic future, there are a few things we need to address in order make this short-term success translate to long-term growth and prosperity.

On this episode, we speak with BCA's economics team, Mike Holden and Alicia Planincic, to break down the spring 2023 update of the Alberta Snapshot, an all-points summary of Alberta's economy.

The discussion includes Alberta's economic outlook, the state of business in the province, the battle against inflation, wage growth, housing, and what we can expect in the coming months to ensure Alberta's affordability.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Canada Needs a Growth Strategy: Does Budget 2023 Get Us There? Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Last week, the federal government released its latest budget during a time where Canada faces many economic challenges: high inflation, low business investment, low productivity, and an increasingly competitive environment thanks to the US Inflation Reduction Act. While Canada has high environmental and economic ambitions, we need to move at a speed and scale never before seen to meet them. Does Budget 2023 help get us there?

On this episode, we're joined by Business Council of Canada Senior Vice President of Policy, Robert Asselin to discuss Canada's economic challenges and to reflect on Budget 2023.

We discuss the importance of Canada's newly announced tax investment credits for hydrogen, the green electricity program, the urgent need for a Canadian advanced research projects agency, and where we fell short in the latest federal budget. We also reflect on economic policies that could change the tide, and where Canada can focus its attention in the short- and long-term to help turn things around.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Transforming Healthcare in Alberta Through Innovation (BONUS) Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

Our guest is Reg Joseph, CEO of Health Cities, a leader in healthcare innovation, and he will be sharing his insights on Alberta's big opportunity to transform Alberta's health care delivery through innovation including:

the challenges with Canada's healthcare systems today
the potential to transform healthcare in Alberta
strengths, assets, opportunities, and challenges to reach our potential
policies and investments needed

The full paper can be read here: http://bit.ly/3h5Lb0k

About Reg Joseph

Reg Joseph was appointed as the CEO of Health Cities in February 2018. He has 20 years of experience spanning the health, technology, and investment sectors. At Health Cities, Reg is focused on developing new pathways for healthcare delivery to drive better health outcomes and economic growth for our region.

Reg has served in a wide variety of roles, including as an analyst with Boston-based Leerink Swann & Co. and as a manager of a global business unit at US-based Invitrogen Corporation (now Thermo Fisher). Reg has founded and led local health technology companies and most recently served as Alberta Innovates' Vice President of Health, managing outgoing investments from the Heritage Fund.

In addition to serving on multiple boards of health technology companies, Reg is currently Chair of the Board of BioTalent Canada and of MacEwan University's Board of Governors. Reg has a BSc. in Physiology and an MBA in Finance.

About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Opportunities and Realities for Canada's Energy Transition Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

2022 drastically changed the global realities around energy. Between the war in Ukraine, fluctuating energy prices, Europe's energy crisis, and a steadfast commitment to a low-carbon energy transition, the future of energy no longer looks like it once did.

But present within that changing reality is a new opportunity to be a global leader in the energy space, and it is now up to each country to decide how best to respond.

On this episode, we're joined by energy expert, Jackie Forrest, Executive Director at ARC Energy Research Institute and co-host of the ARC Energy Ideas Podcast.

We speak with Jackie about the future of Canada's energy systems, the opportunities and realities present in Canada's energy transition ahead of our 2030 and 2050 goals, and the challenges we must overcome to be successful.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Economic Expectations & Lessons from Budget 2023 Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

At the start of 2023, things were looking up for the province of Alberta. In fact, Alberta was experiencing one of the most dramatic fiscal turnarounds in history. At the same time, Albertans and Canadians were struggling with the rising cost of living, a challenge the Bank of Canada sought to address by hiking interest rates. Now, as we get near the end of the first quarter of 2023, how have those realities held?

In this episode, BCAs Economist, Alicia Planincic, joins to discuss economic expectations for the remainder of the year, the latest GDP forecast for Canada, the outlook from Alberta's business leaders and the economic lessons we can take from Alberta's Budget 2023.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

The Brief: Alberta's Poverty Landscape in a Post-Pandemic World Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

When we think about the ways poverty presents itself, many of us are guilty of envisioning the visibly poor and unhoused. But the realities of poverty are a layered, complex experience, and one that casts a wide net on who fits the description.

On this episode, we're joined by Executive Directors Meaghon Reid of Vibrant Communities Calgary and Erick Ambtman of End Poverty Edmonton to discuss Alberta's poverty landscape.

We discuss the myths and realities around how poverty presents itself; paths into and out of poverty; the challenges of the rising cost of living for the most vulnerable communities; and address some tough questions within the poverty space.

We also reflect on how poverty in Alberta has changed over the pandemic, the crippling cost of loneliness, and real solutions that we can adopt today to combat poverty one person at a time.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

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The Brief: Understanding the New Global Order: A Look at the Collapse of Globalization Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

The rise of globalization has given much to our world: we have been able to feed billions of people and lift millions out of poverty; try new foods from countries across continents and oceans; buy anything we could ever want at the click of a button and have it delivered within hours or days.

But this system is vulnerable, and on the brink of collapse.

On this episode, we are joined by author and renowned geopolitical strategist, Peter Zeihan, author of The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization.

Peter takes us on a journey through the rise of globalization; why America is the heart and soul of the system; and why it is on the brink of collapse.

We also discuss how demographics are changing around the world; how the devolution of globalization will affect regions around the world, including Alberta; and how Alberta can win in this new potential world.

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About The Business Council of Alberta

Check out more of our recent work: https://bit.ly/3JG9ifS

Check out recent episodes of AlbertaBETTER: https://bit.ly/3bHlfFB

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://bit.ly/3BPxDhv

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