Building the Infrastructure we Need for a Sunny Future
2016 Board of Directors Executive
Chair: Bill Blais Vice President, Land Development, MacLab Enterprises Vice Chair: James Merkosky Partner, Tax Services, Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP Treasurer: Len Rhodes President & CEO, Edmonton Eskimo Football Club Past Chair: Jerri Cairns Partner, Parlee McLaws LLP
Directors
Bryan DeNeve Senior Vice President Finance & CFO, Capital Power Dr. Glenn Feltham President & CEO, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Crystal Graham Partner & Licensed Interior Designer, Kasian Architecture Interior Design & Planning Ltd. Dawn Harsch Owner, Exquisicare Inc. Alyson Hodson President & CEO, zag creative Elan MacDonald President, Impact Consulting Scott McEachern Vice President, Engineering & Projects, Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Craig Thorkelsson Manager of Corporate Taxation, PCL Constructors Inc.
By Janet M. Riopel, President & CEO
W
hen the federal Liberals were elected last October, they promised to bring “sunny ways” to government. After a year in office, the question for the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is “has the federal government made progress on the issues and priorities fundamental and critical to the improvement of Alberta’s economy?” After all, “sunny ways” doesn’t simply mean being positive. The phrase, coined by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, refers to appealing to the hearts and souls of the electorate in order to convince them of policy positions. When it comes to one key priority for the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and the Alberta business community – trade-enabling infrastructure – the results are promising, but mixed.
The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging all levels of government to focus infrastructure spending on projects that will contribute directly to expanding trade and market opportunities.
Chamber Executive
The federal announcement of a national price on carbon in October was not received well by some provinces. In Alberta, which already has its own carbon price taking effect in 2017, the national approach to carbon pricing makes more sense.
Max Frank Vice President, Membership & Operations Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
The Edmonton Chamber is not necessarily against a national carbon price as it levels the playing field and means there won’t be a patchwork of policies that pits provinces against one another.
Janet Riopel President & CEO Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
Ian Morris Vice President, Finance Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Danuta Woronowicz Vice President, Policy & Outreach Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
Contact
Edmonton Chamber of Commerce #600 – 9990 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 1P7 T: 780.426.4620 F: 780.424.7946
What Alberta really needs from the federal government is the approval of energy infrastructure, specifically pipelines. The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging all levels of government to focus infrastructure spending on projects that will contribute directly to expanding trade and market opportunities. Our businesses need links to new markets by land, sea and air. A national price on carbon and taking steps to reduce Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions does not eliminate the need to get our resources to market. Continued on the next page...
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // NOVEMBER 2016
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