As Alberta businesses grapple with the dual pressures of evolving global trade policies and persistent interprovincial trade barriers, a balanced approach is essential to navigating this challenging terrain. With the incoming U.S. President placing tariffs back in the spotlight, and Canada still contending with barriers within its own borders, the time is ripe to explore the opportunities that lie within
these challenges.
Honourable Pete Guthrie, ECA Biography
Minister of Infrastructure
The Honourable Pete Guthrie was re-elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Airdrie-Cochrane on May 29, 2023. On June 9, 2023, Mr. Guthrie was sworn in as Minister of Infrastructure. He previously served as Minister of Energy.
We will be closely reviewing the Competition Bureau’s Draft Guidelines in the coming weeks, and will be following the public consultation process more generally. However, our preliminary view is that the Draft Guidelines, if and when adopted, will do nothing to meaningfully clarify or limit the scope of the new provisions, and therefore will not in any way mitigate the significant restrictions on free expression imposed by the new provisions.
Demetrios Nicolaides was sworn in as Minister of Education on June 9, 2023. He previously served as the Minister of Advanced Education
AEG brings together the expertise, insight and invaluable contributions of Alberta’s most influential business leaders, owners, operators, professionals and investors. United in their commitment, they work to champion Alberta’s boundless potential and opportunities on the global stage, ensuring the province thrives in the international arena.
When people think of innovation, their minds often go to cutting-edge software, artificial intelligence or tech startups. While those advancements are undeniably transformative, Alberta is proving that innovation doesn’t just belong to Silicon Valley or the digital world. Instead, Alberta has positioned itself as a leader in non-traditional innovation—where creative solutions to real-world challenges drive economic growth, job creation, and community revitalization.
A Year in Review – The AEG Annual Report 2024
“Central to our work is AEG’s core belief that meaningful change comes from a broadnet work of influencers and proven decision-makers across every major industry inAlberta. Together, we know that we can achieve more. Our network allows businesses of all sizes to connect with Alberta’s business leaders and policymakers, providing them with a clear and informed view of the provincial landscape. This access enables businesses to stay knowledgeable about industry developments, legislative changes, and key economic trends impacting Alberta.” – Catherine Brownlee, President, Alberta Enterprise Group
James Rajotte has been Alberta’s Senior Representative to the United States since May 1, 2020. In the role, he regularly meets with senior elected officials, business executives, and thought leaders from across the U.S.
Canadian Sustainability Standards Board Fails Canadians
Calgary – Catherine Brownlee, President of the Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG), made the following statement in response to the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) newly released sustainability and climate disclosure standards:
“We are disappointed that the CSSB seems to have conducted consultations with no regard for those that took the time to submit as part of the consultation process. This is a sham. The only changes made were to extend the relief of compliance by an additional year from what was proposed in the standards. It would seem there was never an intent to consider substantially modifing the standards for the Canadian context aside from extending the dates of compliance. It is shocking that none of the recommendations from the majority of stakeholder responses were included in the published standards.”
CALGARY – Earlier this week, the Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG) and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) jointly filed a constitutional challenge against the federal government, over its new ‘Greenwashing’ law which unreasonably restricts free speech.
The challenge, filed in the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, targets sections 236 and 239 of Bill C-59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023, which amended the Competition Act in ways that severely limit the business community’s ability to discuss environmental impacts. These provisions impose unreasonable restrictions on the dissemination of truthful and fair-minded information, striking at the heart of free expression and open debate in Canada.
