WCEF 2026 PROGRAM
january 22 & 23, 2026
The Fairmont, Winnipeg, MB
Day 1: Thursday, January 22, 2026
8:00AM Registration: Coffee & Networking
9:00AM “O Canada”
Special Guests (WS)
9:05AM Opening Remarks
Host: Althia Raj
National Columnist, Toronto Star,
Member, Parliamentary Press Gallery, and CBC “At Issue” Panelist
9:15AM Welcome to a Growing Manitoba Economy at the Heart of Canada
Presented by MLT Aikins
The Honourable Wab Kinew
Premier of Manitoba
9:45AM A Curious History: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta enter Confederation
Dr. Bill Waiser, CM, SOM, FRSC, DLitt
Author & Historian
In 2017, Dr. Waiser was named a member of the Order of Canada (the country’s highest civilian honour). He was appointed to the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2006. He is one of Canada’s foremast historians, an author of 21 books and the recipient of the Royal Society of Canada J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal for outstanding work in Canadian History.
10:30AM The Political Landscape in 2026: What it Means for the West
Presented by MLT Aikins
Michael Solberg
Partner
New West Public Affairs Inc.
Althia Raj
National Columnist, Toronto Star
Member, Parliamentary Press Gallery and CBC ‘At Issue’ Panelist
11:15AM A Commitment to Economic Reconciliation
Presented by Dean Gagné, Chief Disruption and Growth Officer, Innovation Federal Credit Union
Cadmus Delorme
Founder, One Hoop and Chair, Reconciliation Education
Chancellor, University of Regina
12:00PM LUNCH
With thanks to CO-OP
1:00PM The Western Business Coalition: Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources
Bram Strain
President
Business Council of Manitoba
Adam Legge
President
Business Council of Alberta
Prabha Ramaswamy
Chief Executive Officer
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Laura Jones
President & Chief Executive Officer
Business Council of British Columbia
1:50PM Western Issues & Insights Panel
Western Alienation: Fact, Fiction & Varied Opinions
Gregory Jack
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos Public Affairs
The Resentment Index: Insights, Interpretations & Implications
Charles Breton
Executive Director, Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation
Institute for Research on Public Policy
Equalization Payments: Objectives, Observations & Objections
Mike Holden
Vice President
Policy & Chief Economist, Business Council of Alberta
2:45PM STRETCH BREAK & COFFEE TALK
Sponsored by PCL
3:00PM Business Growth & Expansion in the West
Guillermo Freire
Senior Vice-President, Mid-Market Group
Export Development Canada
Laura Didyk
Senior Vice-President, Prairie
Business Development Bank of Canada
3:35PM From the West to the World: Natural Resources, Trade and Export Infrastructure
Moderator: Heather Exner-Pirot
Senior Fellow and Director of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
Senior Fellow, Arctic 360
Chris Avery
President & Chief Executive Officer
Arctic Gateway Group
Chris Lane
President & Chief Executive Officer
STEP (Saskatchewan Trade & Export Partnership)
4:05PM The WCEF 2026 Wrap Up: What now for the West?
Patrick Kennedy
Principal
Earnscliffe Strategy
4:25PM Closing Remarks
Althia Raj
National Columnist, Toronto Star
Member, Parliamentary Press Gallery, and CBC “At Issue” Panelist
4:30PM END OF DAY 1 PROGRAM
5:30PM WCEF Reception - Presented by MLT Aikins
IMPACT 100: The Top 100 Largest Companies in Western Canada
Alex Fallon, Founder & Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum
TheWest20: 20 Impactful Leaders in Economic & Business Growth in the West
Alex Fallon, Founder & Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum
Day 2: Friday, January 23, 2026
WCEF LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES – Invite Only
8:30AM Registration & Coffee
9:00AM WCEF Leadership Roundtables
Roundtable 1:
TheWest20: 20 Impactful Leaders in Economic Development & Business Growth in the West
Co-Chairs: John Perrott, Executive Director, Economic Developers Association of Canada and MLT Aikins
Roundtable 2:
Economic Forecasting & Analysis - Westernomics: An Economic Outlook for Western Canada
Chair: Matthew Stewart, Partner, Deloitte
& Launch of the Thatcher-Brooks Leadership Development Program for Economists & Data Analysts
Roundtable 3:
Financing Business Growth in the West
Chair: Willy Fogang, Regional Director, EDC
Roundtable 4:
Natural Resources, Trade and Export Infrastructure
Chair: Heather Exner-Pirot, Senior Fellow and Director, Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Program, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Roundtable 5:
Pulse of Rural Manitoba Report Release – Roundtable
Co-Chairs: RMED and the Rural Development Institute
The Pulse of Rural Manitoba report provides a clear, comparable snapshot of how rural municipalities and regions are performing across key areas: demography, economy, housing, climate and environmental readiness, municipal and community capacity, transportation and connectivity in Manitoba. The report is designed to inform policy decisions and strategic planning to support economic development in rural Manitoba.
