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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - JUNE 2013
members’ businesses and lives are
touched every day by the municipal
government.
How have the Chambers in-
creased involvement between busi-
nesses and Aboriginal groups?
KK:
We promote the necessity of
good relationships with the Aboriginal
community. Some communities in Al-
berta do a really good job, some don’t.
But I think our business community
recognizes the importance of good
relationships. Our Chamber gives out
three awards every year to businesses
that excel under the Aboriginal busi-
ness umbrella: the Aboriginal Relations
—
Best Practice Award of Distinction,
the Aboriginal Woman Entrepreneur of
Distinction, and one that recognizes a
successful Aboriginal business.
What do you see as being priori-
ties going forward?
KK
:
We have developed very
close relationships with other provin-
cial chambers, but we have also made
an effort to create relationships with
our American neighbour chambers as
well to discuss issues of North Ameri-
can importance. Provincial Chamber
Presidents meet twice a year, and the
Canadian Chamber holds teleconfer-
ences to discuss country-wide issues.
We intend to advocate further on
labour issues, such as how we’re going
to find ways to match up people with
the jobs we have in the province. We
will advocate for financial stability in
the province and up and coming in-
dustries here: such as lumber, food and
fiber. And of course, we predict that
you are going to see Alberta become a
major player in alternative energy de-
velopment.
ALBERTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
