The opening session of the conference will set the stage for what Canadians need to do to lead the transition to a clean energy future. The panel of speakers will explore how all levels of government must engage with impacted communities and workers as they implement policies that will respond to the climate crisis. From large cities to small Indigenous communities, it is time for real action to make the shift to a people-centred clean energy economy.
FEATURED PANELISTS
Catherine Abreu is an internationally recognized, award-winning campaigner whose work centres on building powerful coalitions to advance action on climate change. One of the world’s 100 most influential people in climate policy as named by Apolitical in 2019, she has over 15 years of experience campaigning on environmental issues, including seven years in the heart of the climate movement.
Jyoti Gondek was sworn in as Calgary's 37th mayor and the first woman to be elected to this role on October 25, 2021. Throughout her career, Mayor Gondek has taken a big-picture approach to pressing challenges. Many challenges face Calgarians including the economic recovery, climate crisis, lack of affordable housing, truth and reconciliation, and women’s participation in the labour force. Mayor Gondek believes that solutions to these issues must be bold and rooted in economic, social, and environmental resilience.
Gil McGowan is the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), Alberta’s largest union advocacy organization, which represents more than 175,000 workers in the public and private sectors. Gil has been instrumental in putting many important issues forward for public discussion in Alberta. He has led public discussion and policy changes on resource development, climate change and green jobs, reform of the temporary foreign worker program, a $15 minimum wage, pension reform, and reforms to the labour code, employment standards, occupational health and safety, and WCB legislation.
MODERATOR
Jason Foster is the director of Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta and an associate professor of Human Resources and Labour Relations at Athabasca University. Before becoming an academic, he worked as a policy analyst for non-profit organizations and spent more than a decade as the director of policy analysis of the Alberta Federation of Labour. Jason is the author of Defying Expectations: The Case of UFCW Local 401 and co-author of Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces.