BCA Podcasts

Energy expert Peter Tertzakian breaks down what a negative price environment means for the energy industry and what the future of the sector might look like in a post-COVID world. We also talk low-carbon transition, net-zero and Peter’s new EnergyPhile project.

Small businesses have been acutely impacted by COVID-19, as public health orders to stay home, physically distance and close non-essential businesses have kept people off the streets and out of the stores. Dan Kelly is the President and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and shares with us the enormous challenges Canadian small businesses are navigating and what they need in order to stay open, both now and in recovery.

As COVID-19 continues to have a devastating effect on the economy, we turn our attention to the state of liquidity with the larger companies in Canada and what kind of policy solutions are needed to ensure that Canada’s largest firms have enough financial power to endure the economic storm, keep people employed and maintain some level of economic activity.

Robbie-Babins Wagner, CEO of the Calgary Counselling Center joins co-hosts Adam Legge and Brittany Brander for a thoughtful look at how crisis situations, like COVID-19, have a profound impact on our mental health; how employers can have healthy conversations with their teams about mental health and well-being, especially as remote working situations and physical distancing measures take their toll on employees and what people can do to protect their mental health and when it's time reach out to someone.

Darrell Bricker, Global CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs dives into why Canadians feel more acute impacts to their personal economy rather than their personal health, why governments have seen upticks in approvals ratings and what they’ll need to do to keep it, how businesses are essential to communicate trustworthy information and reassure Canadians that supply chains are strong and what a post-COVID-19 world looks like.

Serge Dupont, a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones, joins us to break down the economic and financial relief measures announced by the federal government so far, his perspective on the role the private sector has in helping to flatten the curve and getting people back to work, and how we might rebuild our economy, both in a national and global context.

In Part 2 of our two-part series on local responses to COVID-19, we are speaking with Chief Tom Sampson of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency on maintaining essential services, what businesses need to know and the importance of hope and optimism in a time of crisis.

Over the next two episodes, we are taking a closer look at how the city of Calgary is responding to both the health and economic crisis including the specific measures the city has taken to date to protect the health and safety of its citizens, what plans are in place to maintain essential services and ensure business continuity and what role local businesses have in effectively responding to the needs of the people, health care system and the economy overall. In Part 1 of this series, we are speaking with His Worship Mayor Naheed Nenshi about the measures the city is taking to flatten the curve, his message that clean hands, clear heads and open hearts are vital to get through this, and what businesses can do to support people.

The Government of Canada announced its COVID-19 economic response package last week, but many wonder if the speed and scale of the stimulus are enough to protect Canadians, businesses and the economy. In this episode, BCA’s own Adam Legge and Scott Crockatt assess the federal government’s response to the public health and economic crisis in which it finds itself and what more needs to be done.

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across Canada and the world, and many Canadians are worried about their jobs, incomes, savings, businesses, and the health of the economy overall. Goldy Hyder, President & CEO of the Business Council of Canada, joins Adam Legge, President of the Business Council of Alberta, to talk about the social and economic impacts of COVID-19, what Canadian businesses are doing to protect their people and businesses, what actions the federal government has already taken to support Canadians and Canadian businesses through this crisis and what more needs to be done. Please note that we are adhering to social distancing protocols, so this podcast is recorded remotely, and the quality may be affected.