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Beyond the ballot: What’s next for Alberta

When and where

Date and time

November 16, 2026

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Location

The Brownstone
221 10 Ave SE, #120, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 0V9, Canada

Website:

Register today

About

Join us for a timely discussion on what the referendum results mean for Alberta businesses and the province’s economy. Our expert panel will unpack the results of each of the ten referendum questions and explore the implications for public policy, Alberta’s relationship with the federal government, investment and business confidence, and the broader economic outlook. 

Featuring leading voices in law, public policy and economics, the conversation will look beyond the results themselves to what happens next – including potential timelines, key areas of uncertainty and the issues businesses should be watching in the months ahead. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from experts about what the results could mean for Alberta’s economic and policy landscape. 

 

Available sponsorship levels are outlined HERE. Start the conversation by reaching out to Nicole Claiter, Director, Events & Partnerships at [email protected]

Tickets

  • Member: $59
  • Non-member: $109

Members are able to redeem benefit credits for this event. Please login to the Member Portal to manage your benefits.

Refund Policy

Registered event attendees may cancel their tickets:

  1. 72 hours in advance of an event for paid tickets. Please note: Refunds will be processed to the original form of payment and may take 5-10 business days to appear on your statement.
  2. 24 hours in advance of an event for member event credits. Please note: Membership credits will be refunded directly back into your membership account within 24 hours.

Panelist

Gitane De Silva, ICD.D

Executive Director | Peter Lougheed School of Politics and Democracy

Gitane is a respected public policy leader with executive experience at the provincial, national and international levels. She previously served as the CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator and as Alberta’s Deputy Minister for International and Intergovernmental Relations. Gitane is also a seasoned diplomat and a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations, having represented Canada in the U.S. three times, including as Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington, DC during the first Trump Administration, and as Canada’s Consul General in Chicago. She was involved in the negotiation of several trade and environmental agreements, including the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Gitane is currently the Executive Director of the Peter Lougheed School for Politics and Democracy at the University of Alberta. She is also the Founder & President of the consulting firm, GDStrategic Inc., where she shares her expertise as a sought after speaker and strategist who is known for her ability to explain complex issues in an accessible way.

Panelist

Chima Nkemdirim, K.C.

Principal | Rishi Nolan Strategies

Chima Nkemdirim, K.C. is a Principal at Rishi Nolan Strategies and has over 26 years of experience, advising corporations and governments at all levels.  He most recently led the government relations strategy at Shaw Communications. Prior to Shaw, Chima served as Chief of Staff to former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.  Chima also practiced corporate law for 12 years and was a partner at Dentons.  

 Chima is an active volunteer on several non-profit boards. He currently serves on the board of Calgary Arts Development (past chair), the Werklund Centre (vice chair), The Black Opportunity Fund, and The Calgary Foundation. Chima was appointed as King’s Counsel by the Government of Alberta for his work in the legal profession and was the recipient of both the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his contributions to the community. 

Panelist

Trevor Tombe

Professor of Economics | University of Calgary

Trevor Tombe is a Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary, Director of Canada’s Productivity Initiative, a Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and the MEI, a Fellow at the Public Policy Forum, and Co-Director of Finances of the Nation. 

His research spans a wide range of topics in economics, including international and interprovincial trade, fiscal federalism, and public finance. He has published in leading academic journals and is co-author of the textbooks Public Finance in Canada and Macroeconomics.  

Beyond his academic work, Trevor regularly advises governments on economic and fiscal issues. He previously served on the Government of Canada’s Working Group on Productivity in the Public Sector, its Advisory Council on Interprovincial Trade, the Bank of Canada’s external review panel of its pandemic response, the AlbertaNext panel, and co-authored the Alberta government’s costing report on separation, among other activities. 

He holds a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Toronto and a BBA in Finance from Simon Fraser University. He also contributes to public policy conversations through frequent op-eds, articles, and media appearances. 

Moderator

Deborah Yedlin

President & CEO | Calgary Chamber of Commerce

Deborah Yedlin joined the Calgary Chamber of Commerce in July, 2021 with a background that includes experience on Wall Street and Bay Street, and more than two decades as a business columnist for various media outlets, commenting on the nexus of business and politics since 1996.

Since moving to Calgary in 1992, Yedlin has been very active in the Calgary community – as a board member on a number of not-for-profit organizations including serving as the co-chair of the 2016 United Way Campaign. Yedlin served as the 14th Chancellor of the University of Calgary and is currently one of three co-chairs of the $250 million Calgary Cancer Centre fundraising campaign.

A first-generation Canadian, born and raised in Edmonton, Deborah is a graduate of the University of Alberta and Queen’s University. She also completed her ICD.D designation through the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.

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