Speaking of Business with Goldy Hyder (Goldy Hyder)

It was a summer job that sparked Mike Rencheck’s lifelong career in the energy industry. He started out as an intern at the Beaver Valley Power Station in Pennsylvania in the 1980’s, and never looked back. “It really opened my eyes to what was possible in nuclear energy,” he says.

Skip ahead a few decades and Rencheck is now the President and CEO of Bruce Power. The nuclear plant on the shores of Lake Huron produces 30 per cent of Ontario's electricity – that’s half of all the province’s nuclear power.

Rencheck recognizes the important role nuclear will play as Canada transitions to lower emissions energy sources. “We really need to progress forward if we're going to have a clean energy transition and have abundant energy that's reliable, clean, and affordable,” he tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast. It’s why Bruce Power is looking at adding more production capacity at its site – an additional 4,800 megawatts of electricity (Bruce Power currently produces 6,550 megawatts).

And Bruce Power doesn’t stop there. The company is, in Rencheck’s words, a “superpower” in the production of medical isotopes. The life-saving products are used to sterilize medical equipment worldwide and to treat some forms of cancer.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Mike Rencheck and Goldy Hyder also discuss Indigenous reconciliation, the value of asking questions, and how to unleash Canada’s “get ‘er done” mentality. 

“We have great people in Canada. We have great people here at Bruce Power. And when we choose to work together, we simply get things done.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

As Guy Cormier looks ahead to a post-COVID Canada, the president and CEO of the Desjardins Group says it’s time for all of us to embrace a new approach.

“Capitalism has lifted a lot of people out of poverty,” he says. “[But] at the same time, I think it's quite obvious that there is some collateral damage.” 

Cormier points to climate change and income inequality as examples of the myriad social challenges facing Canada. He says it’s time “to give capitalism a do-over” by ensuring that the post-pandemic recovery includes a strong focus on sustainable growth.

The pandemic brought home the importance of looking after one another, he says. In tandem with governments, businesses large and small stepped up to support their communities. Many people are now looking to corporate leaders to help tackle other pressing global issues.

“Citizens, employees, clients, suppliers will be key people … to remind all of us that we must try to see the future differently than it was before.”

In conversation with Goldy Hyder, Guy Cormier also talks about the importance of addressing mental health, and mentoring youth.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

COVID-19 created an “inflection moment” that offers Canadians a chance to build a better future, according to Penny Wise, President of 3M Canada. “We have a huge opportunity to make a difference and really change the growth trajectory of Canada if we really seize that moment,” she says.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Wise points to three ingredients that should be part of the country’s economic recovery. 

First, she urges the country to develop an industrial strategy that capitalizes on Canada’s strengths and potential. 

Second, Wise emphasizes the importance of getting women fully engaged in the economy again, including in leadership positions, pointing to the large number who left the workforce during the pandemic. 

Third, we need a stronger focus on teaching science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and on ensuring under-represented groups have access to that education. “Our future lies in making sure those people who want to pursue STEM — who want a job, who want a career — that we are providing them with the opportunities to make that happen,” Wise says.

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s conversation with Penny Wise – including the career advice she gives to young women – on the Speaking of Business podcast

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“The overarching power of the human spirit.”  Chuck Magro, President and CEO of Nutrien, discusses how they are supporting employees, farmers and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping essential workers safe, and lessons in leadership.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“Corporate Canada needs to look more like Canada.”  That’s the call to action from Jaqui Parchment.  As CEO of Mercer Canada she is one of only a very few Black women CEOs in the country.

She is also a Director of the BlackNorth Initiative and a founding member of the Black Opportunity Fund.  And she is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion.

This summer, over 200 business leaders gathered to participate in the BlackNorth Summit, making commitments to address anti-Black racism in their workplaces.  

But change doesn’t happen overnight.

What do companies need to do to keep the momentum going over the coming months and years?

As we start a new season of Speaking of Business, Jaqui Parchment joins us to talk about how to bring about change, the importance of mentorship, and why businesses need to move from inclusion to creating a sense of belonging in the workplace.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Keeping afloat.  Dennis Darby of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters talks about what manufacturers need to help them weather the COVID-19 crisis, and why consistent rules across the country will be key to business recovery.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When the last spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway track on November 7th, 1885 in British Columbia, CP became the first transcontinental railway to connect Canada from east to west. 

Last April, the iconic Canadian company marked another first, when – in Kansas City, Missouri – a ceremonial final spike connected Canadian Pacific with Kansas City Southern. The new railway, now named CPKC, became the first and only single-line railway connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico. It stretches across more than 32,000 kilometers of track and employs 20,000 people. 

“This company is not new to change,” says Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We're ready for it and we're going to embrace it and unlock some unique opportunities that our network has created for us.”

In an interview with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Creel discusses the benefits of the new North American line and delves into some of the challenges of operating across three countries.

“We're going to celebrate the things that are similar, we're going to recognize the differences, we're going to never compromise our principles and we're going to create a common culture that I call a constant pursuit of safety and operational excellence," he says.

Listen to the full interview, including what military service taught him about leadership, on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“There’s going to be a new normal.”  Mark Barrenechea of Open Text discusses how the COVID-19 crisis will change the way we live, and why he says “there’s a special place in hell” for cyber criminals who are trying to capitalize on the crisis. 

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Mark Little,  President & CEO of Suncor Energy talks about the oil and gas crisis in Alberta in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the work his company is doing to keep workers and northern communities safe, and how all this might lead to more collaboration between business and governments.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Victor Dodig is President and CEO of CIBC.

Victor grew up in a tough inner-city neighbourhood, the child of working-class immigrants. One of his earliest jobs was hanging pork bellies in a meat-packing plant. Humble beginnings for the man who now leads one of Canada’s largest financial institutions.

Our conversation touches on the kindness of strangers, the mentors who shaped his career, and how there’s no room at Victor’s bank for big egos and swinging for fences. Plus: why one of Canada’s top bankers makes a trip to Disney World every year.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

In this Speaking of Business summer special, Catherine Clark turns the tables on our usual host Goldy Hyder, and puts him in the hot seat.

Goldy Hyder is President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada. Before taking on his current role, Goldy was CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada. Earlier in his career he served as Chief of Staff to Catherine's father, The Right Honourable Joe Clark.

In this episode we discuss Goldy’s childhood as an Indian-born Calgarian, the experiences that have shaped his life and career, and Canada’s changing political and business landscape.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Linda Hasenfratz, President & CEO of Linamar shares her company's fast-paced ventilator production initiative, how they're keeping workers safe, and what we might learn from how other countries have responded to the COVID-19 crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“The bright side of this is that it’s accelerated innovation everywhere.”  Faisal Kazi, President and CEO of Siemens Canada, reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred technological advancements.  He also discusses what he has learned as a leader, how he and his employees are giving back to the community during the crisis, and the many steps the company is taking to ensure employee safety.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“Like a tap being turned off and at the other end you’ve got an open sinkhole.”  Ed Sims, President and CEO of WestJet, describes the effects of a precipitous drop in airline travel, how COVID-19 compares to other crises, repatriation flights to countries WestJet has never flown to before, and why his colleagues are “battle-scarred but still smiling.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Deanna Zumwalt became President and CEO of Coril Holdings in 2021, she took on responsibility for an organization with a rich Canadian legacy. The Calgary-based company, with roots in the railway industry, has evolved considerably since its beginnings nearly 125 years ago. Now Zumwalt is looking ahead to the next century.

“Being a family enterprise for 125 years, we think across generations – we think in 25-year chunks,” she tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Businesspodcast.

Zumwalt challenges her team to be bold when charting the company’s future. “Whatever we're doing today, we won't necessarily be doing in the future. We’ve got to figure out what that future looks like.”

Zumwalt discusses her hopes for her company, the transformation she’s seeing in her hometown of Calgary, and her vision for Canada – one that embraces diversity and difference. She also speaks candidly about the lessons she has learned from her four children, three of whom were adopted from Haiti. “I always say to my children, ‘Listen for, not against.’ Listen for what you believe in. Listen for something that's in common and then build on that.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When the federal government appealed to business for help in the fight against COVID-19 last spring, technology company CAE answered the call.  It developed a ventilator prototype in 11 days and started manufacturing it soon after. 

But that’s not all. CAE designed online training programs to teach healthcare workers how to protect themselves from infection. It also started manufacturing air sanitizers for use in healthcare settings, workplaces and schools.

Now the company has pivoted again, opening Quebec’s first workplace vaccine centre. The goal is to vaccinate 50,000 people by August.

“In every war, industry has always played a key part as a partner to the government in fighting the fight and this one was no different,” says Marc Parent, president and CEO of CAE.

He says the company adapted quickly by drawing on the skills and creativity of its workforce. And he thinks a similar approach can benefit Canada as a whole.

“We have in Canada the ingredients to succeed,” he says. “At CAE, we invest in creating a culture where innovation can occur. I think the trick is, how do we do this as a country?”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s conversation with Marc Parent to hear how CAE is using that same spirit of innovation to tackle climate change.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

At the age of 24, Ben Cowan-Dewar set out to build a golf course in a remote part of Cape Breton. Construction began around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. Did he think it was a risky venture? “In hindsight,” he says, “obviously it was.”

But it paid off. Now, Cowan-Dewar’s Cabot Cape Breton golf courses are ranked among the best in the world and the company is expanding, building new courses and resorts in Revelstoke, B.C. and Saint Lucia. 

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast, Cowan-Dewar credits part of his success as a young entrepreneur to the advice and support he received from experienced business people. “I would watch these great Canadians in their 60s, 70s and 80s take a really long view and I thought ‘well it's easy for them, they've already been successful.’ But what you realize is, it's easy for them because they've been through cycles.”

Learning how to take a long view and adapt to economic cycles helped Cowan-Dewar, co-founder and CEO of Cabot, weather the COVID-19 pandemic – a crisis that had a devastating impact on Canada’s tourism sector, including the golf industry. 

Now he’s sharing what he’s learned with younger entrepreneurs. His advice? – keep a level head, use problem solving skills, and remember “you have people who are really cheering for your success.”

Listen to Ben Cowan-Dewar’s full conversation with Goldy Hyder.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Twenty-seven years ago, WestJet took to the air with just three aircraft and five destinations. Today, the Calgary-based airline serves more than 100 cities across four continents.

Overseeing the operation is CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. He's a newcomer to Canada but not to the industry, having spent two decades working for and running airlines in Europe. 

When he arrived in Canada last year, he was struck by the country’s rugged geography and “sheer size”, which brought home to him the importance of air travel. 

“In Europe, if you want to get from city A to city B, you have tons of options,” he says, including air, rail and road. “You can even take a bicycle in many cases. [Cities are] not very far apart.” That’s hardly the case in Canada, where the alternative to air travel is often a journey lasting several days. 

“Aviation and airlines are an absolute essential service for thousands and thousands of communities … This is just a geographical fact,” he tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Given that, von Hoensbroech says he’s surprised that government-imposed surcharges on air travel – including airport rent, security and navigation fees, and federal taxes
– are “far more expensive” in Canada compared to other countries.

“I’m surprised that the government is not putting more effort into making aviation more affordable,” he says. “Actually, they’re doing the exact opposite.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s full conversation with Alexis von Hoensbroech – including his thoughts on the Calgary Stampede, and which NHL superstar hails from his hometown in Germany – on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“The energy industry has got to be part of the solution.”  Al Monaco, President and CEO of Enbridge, discusses the role of energy in Canada, how Enbridge is supporting communities through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the transition to a low carbon economy.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Jeffrey Russell, President of Accenture in Canada, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected his employees, how Accenture is helping governments get help to those who need it, and what the new economy could look like in the future.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Elio Luongo started working for KPMG in Canada in the 1980s, artificial intelligence was the stuff of science fiction movies. Remember when The Terminator hit the big screen? Now, as Luongo prepares to retire as CEO, AI is no longer the purview of sci-fi imagination. It’s increasingly the day-to-day reality in a modern workplace.

Luongo is encouraging all KPMG employees to experiment with and learn from AI.

“Businesses need to help their people develop skills around AI,” he says. “That is probably one of the most fundamental things that we can be doing right now.”

In an interview on the Speaking of Business podcast, Luongo reflects on what he has learned and how he has adapted to technological change during his decades-long career.

Effective leaders, he says, open doors for employees to develop their skills, continually. “This is what's going to change the productivity and the prosperity for people in Canada and we all have that responsibility to help develop our people's skillset.”

Listen to the full interview – including why he describes leaders as HEPA filters – on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Canada’s Magna International is a $40 billion company that employs more than 158,000 people in 28 countries. Yet in the eyes of its CEO, it’s really “a 60-year-old startup”.

“We are still a startup because we are in a $3 trillion industry and it's changing,” says Swamy Kotagiri. “Every time there is change, there is opportunity.”

The Aurora, Ont.-based auto parts manufacturer knows it has to stay nimble to keep pace with the evolving needs of the industry. That’s especially true when it comes to the development of electric and autonomous vehicles.

Kotagiri points to Magna’s “rich heritage of innovation” as the foundation of its extensive research and development activities. But the company also maintains a raft of partnerships with universities, research institutions and fledgling companies. 

It’s a “symbiotic relationship”, he says. “They bring the idea, they bring the fundamental science, the tech or the concept. We can take that and find the right application.”

So what can customers expect from Magna when it comes to next-generation electric vehicles?

“I am very optimistic about the next steps that the industry will go through,” Kotagiri says. “This is just the beginning -- and the right beginning.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Dean Connor, President & CEO of Sun Life Financial discusses rapidly bringing his global leadership team and workforce together during the COVID-19 crisis, to go above and beyond for Sun Life customers.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“We’ve pulled the future forward here.”  John Baker, President and CEO of D2L discusses the future of online learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and what parents and educators can expect when schools resume in the fall.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

François Poirier and his co-workers see themselves as problem-solvers.

The problems are many, and familiar to anyone who follows North America’s energy industry. 

• The need to reduce emissions from traditional energy sources like oil and natural gas. 
• The need to transition to lower-carbon sources without raising prices for consumers. 
• The need for energy security in a world that is increasingly unpredictable.

It’s a tall order, but Poirier – President and CEO of Calgary-based TC Energy – is optimistic that his company and others in the industry can meet the challenge. Not only that, he’s convinced that Canada can play an outsized role in solving the world’s energy problems. 

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast, Poirier points to Canada’s natural resources, private sector leadership and energy expertise as key ingredients that can help countries around the world lower greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, Poirier says Canada’s energy sector has a lot to contribute to a coordinated North American energy strategy. “It's through collaboration, cooperation, and commerce that North America can underpin the security and the prosperity of billions of people,” he says.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Poirier also explains why mental wellness is a priority at TC Energy, why he enjoys competing in triathlons, and what career advice he’s shared with his two sons.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Dani Reiss, President & CEO of Canada Goose, discusses the company's retooling of their Canadian manufacturing lines toward the production of Personal protective equipment (PPE), the impact of the pandemic on their operations in China, and why there's still reason to be hopeful.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Darryl White is CEO of the Bank of Montreal.

Before I sat down with Darryl I talked with a lot of his friends and colleagues. They all described him as a generous and thoughtful leader with a fierce competitive edge. He became CEO at a time of intense disruption in banking, while facing incredible adversity at home.

In this wide-ranging interview he shares his outlook on competitiveness, global trade, and the role of purpose in business.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Penny Wise, President of 3M Canada, reflects on the challenges of leadership in the COVID-19 crisis as her company performs essential services, including distributing N95 masks to frontline workers.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Mallorie Brodie wants to see a cultural shift in Canada – one that embraces risk. 

The CEO and co-founder of Kitchener, Ont.-based Bridgit Inc. says Canadians have a “level of discomfort” when it comes to taking risks, but it’s essential when scaling up a business.

She should know. Over the past eight years Brodie and co-founder Lauren Lake have built their construction software startup into one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies – one that more than doubled its revenue growth last year.

She’d like to see Canada embrace a similar startup mindset.

“There’s an opportunity for us to become much more aggressive when it comes to innovation,” she says. “We should really determine as a country what are our strengths, how do we double down on those strengths and then really become confident in them.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s conversation with Mallorie Brodie, including a discussion of what it’s like to be a woman working at the intersection of two male-dominated professions – construction and information technology.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Sam Sebastian, President and CEO of Pelmorex, discusses the use of alerts and tracking in the fight against COVID-19, learning how to innovate in the midst of the pandemic and how employees in Madrid provided an early warning for what to expect in North America.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Doug Murphy, President & CEO of Corus Entertainment discusses the importance of providing trustworthy news to Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic and he explains why Corus launched #CanadaTogether to share uplifting stories during this difficult time.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Stephan Crétier is Founder, Chairman and CEO of GardaWorld, the world’s largest privately owned security company.

Stephan knows all about risk and reward. In 1995, he sold his car and took out a second mortgage to start the company. Since then, he’s faced bankruptcy four times, nearly losing his home in the process. But thanks to Stephan’s incredible entrepreneurial spirit, the company today is worth more than $10 billion.

In this episode we’ll talk about Stephan’s early years as a baseball umpire, his illicit high school business, and the number of fugitives on the island of Montreal.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“You drive by and people are saying thank you.”  While public health officials are telling us to stay home, truck drivers are crossing the country delivering essential food and supplies.  Rob Penner, President and CEO of Bison Transport, discusses the challenges his drivers are encountering, how his business is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the positive impact of expressions of gratitude like the #Thank A Trucker movement.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Jennifer Wong was an economics student at the University of British Columbia, she walked into an Aritzia store with her resumé. The company at the time was only three years old and operated two locations. She landed a part-time job, which led to other Aritzia jobs as the company grew. 

Three decades later, she became Chief Executive Officer of the clothing retail giant that now boasts 117 stores in two countries, plus a global online presence.

“My journey has really been about figuring things out, learning new things and overcoming problems,” she tells Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Businesspodcast. 

It helps that she knows the business from the shop floor up, an experience that gives her a unique approach to dealing with the ups and downs of the marketplace. “I like to seek to understand,” she says.

That problem-solving approach helped Aritzia weather the COVID-19 pandemic. When retail stores were closed, employees pivoted to working for the company’s online business, resulting in no layoffs.

Wong says the staff felt they were part of a bigger common goal, which was to keep Aritzia going during the pandemic. “That's another thing that I love about Aritzia,” she says, “we have a lot of heart.”

Listen to the full conversation – including how Aritzia expanded to the United States, and why it makes a point of supporting women throughout its supply chain – on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Don Lindsay is President and CEO of Teck Resources, Canada's largest diversified resource company, and a leading producer of copper, zinc, steelmaking coal, and energy.

Mining has traditionally been seen as a tough, gruff and hardnosed industry, but Don himself doesn’t fit any stereotype. In fact, his reputation as one of the most admired CEOs in Canada’s resource sector owes a lot to the care he consistently shows for his family, employees, country, and the global community.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

How does an employer maintain a sense of community and office culture when many people are working from home?

For Sonja Volpe, part of the answer lies in bringing staff together through volunteerism. “Volunteering is taking on an even more important role in the future hybrid work environment,” says the CEO of BNP Paribas in Canada. “It provides us the opportunity to engage with each other, to build out the internal network and strengthen the team dynamic while, of course, helping those in need.”

In conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Volpe outlines how BNP Paribas – an international bank operating in 65 countries – is planning for what it calls “organized flexibility”. In practical terms, that means bringing employees back to the office 50 per cent of the time as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

“Even though we've been extremely efficient and productive in a remote environment during the pandemic, that's not the way of the future. We need to spend time together and hence time at the office is important,” she says.

Volpe also explains how BNP Paribas is addressing climate change through sustainable financing … and why the bank’s Montreal office includes an urban farm!

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Is Canada poised to be a winner or a loser as the world transitions toward cleaner sources of energy?

Charles Brindamour, the CEO of Intact Financial Corporation – the country’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance – is convinced that Canada has everything it needs to be a global leader in the drive to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. 

He points to the country’s highly skilled and diverse workforce, its robust energy supplies and its abundant natural resources as areas in which Canada has huge advantages. 

“Whether it's around industrial and natural carbon capture, whether it's about building on our strengths in renewable energy, or playing a massive role in the electrification of transportation, these are great opportunities for the country,” Brindamour tells Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast.

Brindamour says he began to see the effects of climate change more than a decade ago. His company responded by creating the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation to help communities become more resilient to climate-related natural disasters.

In February Brindamour was named Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year, an award he says he shares with his entire team. “We very much think about Intact as a collective project to build a Canadian champion. And I'm hoping that this prize will help inspire others to do that – because we need more Canadian champions.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s conversation with Charles Brindamour on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

As a child growing up in Pembroke, Ontario, Meghan Roach remembers driving more than an hour out of town to shop at a Roots store. “Roots was always something special,” she recalls, pointing to the durability of their well-worn products. “I love the Roots TUFF Boots. You would buy these things and you could not wear them out.”

Little did she know then that she would one day become CEO of the iconic Canadian company.

With humble beginnings in Toronto in 1973, Roots has grown into an international brand, sharing Canadian-inspired products around the world and outfitting the likes of athletes, celebrities and presidents.

Despite its global imprint, Roots still makes all its leather goods by hand at the Roots Leather Factory in Toronto.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Roach provides a tour of the factory and discusses the Roots legacy.

“My father said to me never forget where you came from, and this is exactly what I think of when I come to this factory every day,” she says. “This is a 50-year-old business and a 50-year-old brand and I'm a steward of it. I want to build and strengthen the foundation of this business so it's here for another 50 years.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Canada needs a strong economy to help it address significant post-COVID challenges, says the outgoing CEO of National Bank of Canada, Louis Vachon.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast, Vachon says Canada is facing four areas of transformation: technology, demographics, geopolitics and climate change.

Connecting them all, he says, is “clearly the economy … you need to get it absolutely right, and fast.”

Vachon retired from National Bank of Canada on October 31, following almost 15 years at the helm. 

After navigating many challenges, including the 2008 financial crisis, he says he hopes he leaves behind an employee culture that is able to adapt to change. “I kept saying to my employees ‘as a CEO, the only thing I can promise you is more change.’”

Listen to Louis Vachon’s full conversation with Goldy Hyder.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

John Kousinioris describes 2015 as a wakeup call. 

Back then, his company, TransAlta, relied heavily on coal plants to generate electricity for Albertans. The Alberta government had other plans. It announced a phase-out of coal-fired electricity plants and gave TransAlta until 2030 to comply.

Rather than challenging the government’s decision, Kousinioris says TransAlta decided to embrace the change. Over the next six years the company converted all its Alberta coal plants to natural gas, dramatically cutting its greenhouse gas emissions – years ahead of schedule. “It’s been an incredible journey for all of us,” he says.

In an interview with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Kousinioris, president and CEO of TransAlta, discusses the company’s energy transition and speaks frankly about what it will take to meet Canada’s emissions targets.

“People are intuitively in favour of decarbonization,” he says, but “I don't think we've had honest discussions about what it costs to get there and the challenges associated with getting there.”

In the wide-ranging conversation, Kousinioris also discusses lessons learned from his immigrant parents, his love of motorcycles, and his passion for the Calgary Stampede. 

“It doesn't matter where you came from, what your background is, where you've lived. When you've got a pair of jeans on, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, you belong,” he says.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“I’ve never been more proud of our people.”  Paul Mahon, President and CEO of Great-West Lifeco and Canada Life, discusses the challenges of maintaining an essential service while employees are working from home, how the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating change to the business model, and how Great-West Lifeco and Canada Life are addressing the mental health of both clients and employees.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Carolyn Wilkins is fully aware how “geeky” it is to talk about economic growth. 

But the former senior deputy governor of the Bank of Canada has made a career out of it, and she is inviting everyone else to get in on the conversation – because it’s the very lifeblood of our quality of life. 

“The economy is the foundation of peoples' financial and social well-being,” she says. “The kind of jobs people have, how much money they have at the end of the week, whether they can afford a vacation, that all depends on the state of the economy.”

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Wilkins takes the pulse of Canada’s economy and discusses the impact it’s having on Canadians’ standard of living. 

She brings a unique perspective that reflects both her Canadian professional history and her current work beyond Canada’s borders. She draws on her experience as an external member of the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee and senior research scholar at Princeton University’s Griswold Center for Economic Policy.

She says she sees countries around the world working hard to rebuild their economies to be more competitive in a post-COVID world. “When I look at Canada from the outside, I can see the competition better, and it worries me because I think we need to up our game.”

How? She has lots of ideas.

Listen to the full podcast to hear Carolyn Wilkins’ solutions to strengthen Canada’s economy.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how Canadians live, work and interact . Whether we are working from home or trying to stay in touch with friends and family while complying with stay-at-home orders, digital technology has become an essential tool. The demands on Canada’s communications systems have never been greater.

For Bell Canada, the pandemic spurred a rapid increase in network capacity.  

“It was clear right away that people needed to communicate in a different way to keep the economy going,” says Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of Bell Canada and BCE. “Audio conferencing, video conferencing … we saw huge surges in usage of our network. We had to invest in more capacity, so we leaned in right away.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Lisa Raitt and Anne McLellan know first-hand the challenges of governing in a minority parliament. They both served as cabinet ministers in minority governments – Raitt as a Conservative and McLellan as a Liberal. 

“Long term planning is harder,” McLellan told Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast, “but that doesn't mean you can't get big things done.  It actually requires you to make common cause with your fellow parliamentarians across the aisle … issue by issue the governing party has to find its support.” 

With a new minority parliament set to assemble in Ottawa, the two former politicians are searching for common ground. They are co-chairs of a new initiative aimed at developing a long-term vision for Canada. 

The Coalition for a Better Future brings together more than 100 organizations across the private and not-for-profit sectors. Their goal? To help shape a plan for long-term inclusive, sustainable economic growth.

Raitt and McLellan know finding common ground among a wide range of interests won’t be easy. But they both see the need to give it a try.

“There's big change happening around us and we really need to be ready for it,” says Raitt. “And if part of being ready is making sure that we can scoop up as many voices in society to give an idea of what economic growth they think is needed, then I think that's going to be a very worthwhile experiment and one that will be welcomed.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s full conversation with Anne McLellan and Lisa Raitt.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Bharat Masrani looks to Canada’s future, he sees opportunity. “We have all the tools in our toolkit to really leverage what is to come,” says the President and CEO of TD Bank.

In a January 25th conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Masrani points to strengths – such as Canada’s education system and highly skilled workforce – as key ingredients to help the country succeed in a post-pandemic world.

He also sees an important role for Canada’s energy sector as the country transitions to net-zero emissions. “You look at what those [energy] companies are doing – they're on the leading edge of technology, the leading edge of how we reduce carbon,” he says.

Finally, Masrani points to the cooperation between the public and private sectors during the pandemic as a model for Canada to follow in the years ahead. “We are a country that is united in its vision. We want to be successful and we want success for all.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s conversation with Bharat Masrani on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Rola Dagher, President and CEO of Cisco Canada, discusses the rapid increase in demand for technology to work from home, how Cisco is giving back to the community, and what she is learning as a leader through the COVID-19 crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

For decades, the names John Risley and Clearwater Seafoods were practically synonymous. The story of Clearwater’s founding is the stuff of legend in Atlantic Canada.

It’s a story of how John and his business partner Colin MacDonald started selling lobsters in a store on the Bedford highway in 1976 … and how they grew Clearwater into a global seafood giant. 

As the Chairman and CEO of CFFI Ventures, Risley has been involved in many other enterprises throughout his career – including telecommunications, space technology and green hydrogen – but Clearwater is what started it all.

So it was big news when, in 2020, Clearwater was sold to a joint venture that included a coalition of Mi’kmaw First Nations. It was described as “the single largest investment in the seafood industry by any Indigenous group in Canada.”

In a candid conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, John Risley recounts that historic sale, reflects on the business risks he’s taken, and reveals why the world is now courting Atlantic Canada’s ocean economy.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“The companies that manufacture were able to quickly pivot to make masks, respirators … hand sanitizer.”  Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, discusses the mobilization of the manufacturing sector in the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of essential workers, and plans to reopen the GM plant in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When the Business Council of Canada officially endorsed the concept of a national price on carbon in 2007, it was a “tough sell”, says John Dillon, the Council’s Senior Vice President, Policy and Corporate Counsel.

At the time, the federal government and many private sector leaders were concerned that carbon pricing would erode Canada’s ability to compete internationally. “In 2007 there weren’t many countries anywhere talking about carbon price or any meaningful climate policy. There was a worry that a price on carbon could impact our competitiveness.”

Dillon has been working on energy and climate policy for three decades. In that time he has seen many changes. 

In conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Dillon reflects on what he has learned, why Canada’s business leaders have embraced the fight against climate change, and what the country must do it meets its net-zero goals. 

For more information on the business case for emissions reductions, check out the Business Council of Canada’s report Clean Growth 3.0: Achieving Canadian Prosperity in a Net Zero World.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

John Baker is President and CEO of D2L, the world-leading education software company based in Kitchener, Ontario.

John was a 22-year-old student at the University of Waterloo when he started D2L. Fast forward two decades and the technology he created is helping millions of customers around the world in schools, colleges, universities, government and business.  

In this episode we’ll hear how a young man with a dream helped launch a learning revolution.  

We’ll also talk about John’s biggest entrepreneurial regret – and the mistake that almost cost him the company. 

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

At a time when Canadians are relying on phone and digital communication like never before, Rogers Communications President and CEO Joe Natale discusses what they are doing to keep the country connected.  And he explains why Rogers is focused on helping Food Banks, Women’s Shelters, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Alex Pourbaix is a veteran of Alberta’s oil and gas industry. He retired in 2017 after almost three decades at TransCanada Corporation, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. But he couldn’t stay away long. His competitive spirit and strong belief in the energy sector soon brought him back to lead Cenovus Energy.

In this episode, Alex shares his views on family, on leading in tough times, and on the fight to protect Canada’s place in the global energy market.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Mike Katchen is Co-founder & CEO of Wealthsimple, a Toronto-based financial services startup.

In just five years, Wealthsimple has grown to more than four billion dollars in assets. And shortly after our conversation, the company announced another big funding round – the latest step on the road to an eventual public stock offering.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

What’s it like to start a new job in the middle of a global pandemic?  Claude Guay knows.  He became President and General Manager of IBM Canada last May. 

Since then he’s been finding creative ways to connect with employees and clients, while developing solutions to help the country respond to the economic and health crisis.

How do you stay agile as a leader in a world of disruption?  What role will innovation play in helping Canada rebuild?  And what needs to happen to ensure the future workforce has the training and skills the country needs?

Claude Guay joins us with his unique insight and perspective.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Longtime businessman, philanthropist and mentor John Risley of CFFI Ventures shares his thoughts on how business in Canada will change after COVID-19

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

John Peller's grandfather founded the company now known as Andrew Peller Limited in 1961, starting with a modest Okanagan vineyard. Today, the company boasts 12 estate wineries, a range of value wine products, global icewine distribution and more. As leader of a family business thriving well into its third generation, John Peller has deftly navigated a changing industry, business, and family.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

On this COVID-19 Special Edition of Speaking of Business: Goldy speaks with Stephen Liptrap, President & CEO of Morneau Shepell about caring for the mental health of employees and customers during the current health emergency.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Sam Sebastian is President and CEO of Pelmorex – owner of The Weather Network.

Pelmorex has more than 60 million users around the world, with operations and services that go far beyond local weather forecasts. Sam’s personal journey is a story you won’t want to miss.

Born in Ohio, he first made his mark in this country as head of Google Canada. Then, in 2017, he joined Pelmorex, succeeding founder Pierre Morrissette as CEO.  Sam has never been afraid to change things up and take big risks. We’ll talk about that. We’ll also explore the reasons behind his decision to apply for Canadian citizenship, and how and why he overcame his introverted nature.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“We will come out of this stronger.”  Charles Brindamour, CEO of Intact Financial Corporation, reflects on the need to build confidence as the economy restarts, what he has learned from dealing with other crises, and how Intact is helping the most vulnerable with food support.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Rola Dagher is President of Cisco Canada. Cisco’s Canadian operations are key revenue generators globally and produce some of the company’s greatest innovations. As you’ll hear, Rola overcame a difficult upbringing in war-torn Lebanon – something she credits with much of her tenacity and drive. She also shares the company’s initiatives around mental health and Canada’s North, as well as some valuable tips for aspiring leaders.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“There’s no textbook on how to manage under COVID-19.”  Nicolas Marcoux, CEO of PwC Canada, shares his thoughts on Canada’s future business landscape, adapting to the challenges of the pandemic, and why cyber attacks are becoming more of a threat to businesses.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

John Manley is Canada’s former Industry Minister, Finance Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister. John recently stepped down after nine years as head of the Business Council of Canada. As you’ll hear, John’s commitment to his family, career, and public service in both politics and business are truly remarkable.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Mary Ann Yule worries about the long-term economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women. “Many working women struggled to balance the responsibilities that came with assuming dual roles,” says the President and CEO of HP Canada. “They are 12 times more likely to step away from their jobs to take care of their family.”

The risk, she points out, is that many women’s career trajectories will be hindered or knocked off course. She cites a recent study that concludes global GDP could be one trillion dollars lower by 2030 if action isn’t taken to mitigate pandemic-related job losses for women.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Yule discusses solutions to ensure all employees are engaged and supported – including through mentorship and hybrid work options.

And she offers her own lessons in leadership. “There is a privilege that comes with leadership – and an obligation. We need to pay it forward by helping young leaders and blazing the trail for future generations.” 

Listen to the full conversation – including how and why HP Canada is investing in the circular economy – on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When half a million Canadians are counting on you to look after their pensions, you need to stay squarely focused on the long term. “We often joke, ‘A quarter is not three months – a quarter is 25 years,’” says Blake Hutcheson, President and CEO of OMERS, which  manages the retirement savings of current and former municipal employees across Ontario. 

OMERS is one of the largest defined benefit pension plans in Canada, with net assets of more than $114 billion. So it’s good to know that when Hutcheson looks to the future, he’s optimistic about what he sees. 

“This is one of those times where there are outsized opportunities ahead – lots of reasons to believe in tomorrow, lots of reasons to believe in this country, and lots of reasons to believe in the future.”

In conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Hutcheson discusses the challenges of leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He also shares some of the lessons he learned growing up 200 km north of Toronto in the town of Huntsville. “To me the ticket for getting ahead as a society is putting [aside] differences and working together in a trusting way. Small towns do that.”

Listen to Blake Hutcheson’s conversation with Goldy Hyder – including his 2022 Stanley Cup prediction – in the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Susannah Pierce looks to the future, she’s filled with optimism. Why? As she puts it, “the energy sector is changing, from one of being carbon-intensive to one of being more [focussed on] clean energy.” 

The President and Country Chair of Shell Canada points to innovation and investments in new technology by Shell and others – including renewable fuels, biofuels and carbon sequestration – as significant steps toward helping Canada meet its net-zero commitments.

She also recognizes the need for the private sector to work with all levels of government to reduce emissions. 

“Standing on opposite sides, fighting over things, is never going to allow us to move forward,” she says in conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast. “The challenge is real, but the solution is one that we have to work on together. Let's make sure we roll our sleeves up collectively and get after it.”

Listen to Susannah Pierce’s conversation with Goldy Hyder, including her thoughts on supporting women in the workplace, on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, Tracy Robinson liked to watch the trains roll by. Little did she know then that trains would have a lasting impact on her life.

She spent 27 years working at Canadian Pacific Railway before switching to the energy sector for almost a decade. Last year she returned to her roots when she was appointed President and CEO of CN, a job she calls “the best in the world.”

Overseeing 30,000 km of track across Canada and the United States, Robinson understands the integral role rail plays in North America’s complex supply chain.

“We need the supply chains to be effective, highly performing, and resilient,” she tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast.  “Things are moving quickly. Trade flows are changing quickly. And if we want to be able to participate the way we know we can as a country, we need to be able to move with it.”

Robinson sees great opportunity for Canada to share its resources and its ingenuity with the rest of the world provided the country adopts a more ambitious approach to economic development. Among other things, that means ensuring greater regulatory certainty and predictability for infrastructure investments. “Whether it be economic or whether it be climate, environment, we are part of a much bigger community and we can be a much more important part if we step into it.”

Listen to Goldy Hyder’s full conversation with Tracy Robinson on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Chuck Magro is President and CEO of Nutrien. The worlds largest provider of farm inputs, services, and solutions.

The company supplies more than a half a million growers around the world with everything from fertilizer and seed, to the latest digital tools that increase crop production.

Chuck is hardly your stereotypical CEO - he's a die hard heavy metal fan! Yep, a metal head. Still walks around town in a Metallica t-shirt. He wakes up every morning at 4am to write in his journal. And he doesn't golf, he shoots! 

In today's episode, Chuck talks about his optimism for Canada and Canadians, why the fight against climate change is a great business opportunity, and the importance of prioritizing home life and family.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Rania Llewellyn spent 26 years working at Scotiabank before making a move she describes as a “big leap and a big change” – becoming President and CEO of Laurentian Bank. And yet she says the hardest part of that transition was joining a new institution in the middle of a pandemic.

The inability to walk through the office and meet people created unique challenges, she says. “Organizations are made of people. You need to be a really good listener to be a good leader.”

In a wide-ranging conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Llewellyn discusses how she built a new culture at the Bank despite a remote work environment, and how it contributed to the development of a digital first strategy. 

“We flipped the conversation. [Rather than saying] ‘let's go back to the office and figure out what tasks we do at home,’ it was ‘what is it that we need the office for?’"

Thinking differently and challenging the status quo is something Llewellyn has done throughout her career, because, as she says, “why fit in when you can stand out?”

Listen to the full conversation with Rania Llewellyn, including her experience as an immigrant to Canada and her hopes for the country’s future.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Canada needs a new foreign strategy that positions it to compete successfully in a changing world, according to former Canadian ambassador Louise Blais.

“There are major shifts occurring in the geopolitical landscape,” she says. “Canada will either come out as losing or winning from an economic and security perspective, but we need to have a plan.”

Blais served as a senior diplomat in Canadian embassies and consulates around the world including Tokyo, Paris, Washington and the United Nations. She is now senior special advisor to the Business Council of Canada on U.S. and international affairs.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Blais emphasizes that Canada’s foreign policy must be rooted in a strong relationship with the United States, which buys 70 percent of Canada’s exports.

Even though the two countries’ economies are interdependent, many in the United States don’t recognize the importance of Canada, she says. “We have to do a better job at making sure the Americans realize just how beneficial the relationship has been to them and their own prosperity.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

If there’s one word business leaders have heard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s “pivot.” 

John Chen knows it better than many.

Long before the pandemic, BlackBerry’s Executive Chairman and CEO led the storied Canadian company through what he calls “a 180-degree flip” – from a hardware-centric business to a software-focused one.

In a conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Chen shares his experience and advice on adapting to change.

For Chen, lesson number one is the need for patience. Major transformations, he says, often take longer than expected.

He also emphasizes the need to focus on the end goal: “If you keep pivoting without a central theme, you definitely are going to fail.”

Listen to John Chen’s conversation with Goldy Hyder, in which they also discuss talent, risk-taking, and why pagers were once seen as a “badge of honour.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

In this rapidly changing world, Canada needs an economic plan that builds on the country’s strengths, addresses its weaknesses, and reduces the risks from future disruptions.  In late October the Business Council of Canada created a roadmap to help get there.  In our report “Powering a strong recovery: an economic growth plan for Canada”, we outline a plan that builds on three key pillars: people, capital and ideas. Share your thoughts here.

On today’s podcast, Senior Vice President of Policy, Robert Asselin, walks us through the framework, and discusses why it’s needed now more than ever.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

How do you keep workers in essential services safe during a pandemic?  Rod Graham, President and CEO of Horizon North Logistics, describes the challenges and solutions to ensuring safety in remote work sites.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“I’m encouraged by the capacity to change at an accelerated pace.”  Heather Chalmers, President and CEO of GE Canada, reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic is hastening innovation, and what she is learning about Canada as the country responds to the crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

John Graham has a clear mandate. As CEO of Canada Pension Plan Investments, he oversees the retirement savings of 20 million Canadians, with the goal of achieving the highest possible returns without undue risk. 

And yet in a volatile and unpredictable world, his challenge is anything but simple.

Take, for example, the fund’s investments in the energy sector. Recently CPP Investments committed to achieving a net-zero portfolio by 2050. But that doesn’t mean it is divesting its holdings in Canada’s oil and gas industry. 

“We believe fundamentally in a path of engagement,” Graham tells Goldy Hyder in the Speaking of Business podcast. “Divesting takes responsible owners away from the table. Divesting basically puts these assets in the hands of people who may not have the same values.”

Graham says Canada is poised for an “economic transition”, not just an energy transition, because the shift to low-carbon energy sources will affect almost everything we produce and consume.

And he sees a significant leadership role for Canada. “Canada knows how to do these types of initiatives at scale. I think we very much have the resources and the scientific and technical know-how.”

Find out more – including why John Graham switched careers from research scientist to pension manager – by listening to this engaging and wide-ranging episode of Speaking of Business

.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Canada has the resources and the know-how to build one of the world’s cleanest and greenest economies. That’s one of the messages four business leaders delivered at a Canadian Club Toronto event on January 17th.

The discussion, “Seizing Canada’s Clean Growth Opportunity,” focused on the steps we need to take now to secure a low-carbon energy future.

Presented in partnership with the Business Council of Canada, the event featured key decision-makers from Canada’s mining, agriculture, financial services and energy sectors: 

• Don Lindsay, President and CEO of Teck Resources;
• Karn Manhas, Founder and CEO of Terramera;
• Dave McKay, President and CEO of RBC; and 
• Susannah Pierce, President and Country Chair of Shell Canada. 

The conversation was moderated by Nadia Theodore, Senior VP of Maple Leaf Foods.

In Don Lindsay’s words, “We have all of the competitive pieces to address climate change, to stimulate economic growth and to build a nation where our kids can thrive.”

Listen to the conversation on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Conversations with Canadian innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Join host Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, as he sits down with some of the most successful and fascinating people in Canadian business.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Geoff Smith is CEO of construction juggernaut EllisDon. The company’s projects include Rogers Center, The Art Gallery of Ontario, and countless other public and private facilities across the country. We discuss succession, disruption, politics, and how Geoff and his team brought the company back from the brink with an employee-driven, values-based strategy.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

They’re taking on underground construction obstacles, tackling mining and energy quandaries, and don’t hesitate to brainstorm daily about how to address climate change.

Hatch is an engineering and professional services firm that employs 12,000 people in 150 countries around the world, all from its perch in Mississauga, ON.

But you may have never heard of them, and that’s by design.

“It's true that we're not a household name,” says Hatch Chairman and CEO John Bianchini. “We're employee-owned and we don't feel the need to advertise other than – in the good old Canadian way – based on what we do.”

Hatch may shun the spotlight, but the company loves a challenge, and has taken on some of the world’s toughest problems. 

When it comes to climate change, Bianchini says it’s an existential threat. “We're in the climate change economy,” he explains. “Pretty much everything that drives the economy today is around our battle to remove carbon from the atmosphere and making sure we don't put too much more in there.”

In a colourful and wide-ranging interview with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Bianchini also discusses ways to unleash Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit, the importance of mentoring the next generation, why he is a big supporter of arts and culture, and he weighs in on the work-from-home vs work-from-the-office debate.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Today’s episode: Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada.

Calin was just five years old when his parents fled the Communist regime in Romania and settled in Montreal – an experience that profoundly shaped his identity and values. As you’ll hear, his dedication to the success of his company – and the country – is unshakeable.

I spoke with Calin in April, prior to news of the company’s Air Transat takeover bid. But the deal reflects many of the themes of today’s podcast, including Calin’s approach to leadership, calculated risk, and competition.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Dan Kelly, President, CEO & Chair of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) discusses the devastating impact of COVID-19 on his members, the government's response, and where he believes we need to go from here.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

On this COVID-19 Special Edition of Speaking of Business: Goldy speaks with Michael McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, and Michael Burns, President and CEO of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation about the business community's response to the current crisis, and a major fundraising effort to support front line healthcare workers.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Dawn Farrell is President and CEO of TransAlta, the Calgary-based power company.

TransAlta started with a single hydro generating station more than a century ago. It now operates more than 70 power plants in Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Dawn is a fascinating, introspective leader who really speaks her mind - and that makes for one hell of an interview.

In this episode she opens up about her humble childhood, how she and her husband built their family through adoption, and why despite her success, she still considers herself a lousy leader. Dawn has strong opinions about Canada’s energy future, the ever-shifting regulatory environment, and what it will take for men and women to truly share the leadership podium in business.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“These people are dedicated to making sure the energy flows every day”  Russ Girling, President and CEO of TC Energy, discusses pandemic preparedness, keeping essential workers safe and lessons in leadership during a time of crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“We’re business people, let’s figure it out.”  For Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder of Kingsdale Advisors, the death of George Floyd was a call to action.   He speaks with Goldy Hyder about July’s Black North summit, and why he’s urging corporate Canada to find solutions to end systemic racism through the creation of the Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Dave Filipchuk began working in the construction industry in the 1980s, digital technology was just a blip on the radar screen. 

Times have changed.

“We’ve got an internet-of-things evolution happening in our industry,” says the President and CEO of PCL Construction, Canada’s largest general construction company. “It goes way beyond measuring things like temperature and humidity. [It includes] air pressure, sound levels, concrete strength, vibration – all with internet-connected sensors in our buildings as we build them.”

Modern building design and engineering also has to take into account climate change. For companies like PCL, that includes using low-carbon, energy-efficient products and materials, sourced locally when possible. Buildings must also be capable of withstanding extreme weather events.

For all the changes, Filipchuk says the fundamentals remain the same. “I often talk about it as the food, clothing and shelter business,” he says. “We meet the needs of human existence going into the future. How we do things will evolve, and we’re going to need to adapt in smart ways to define that better future for our kids and the generations after us.”

Listen to Dave Filipchuk’s conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Nicole Verkindt is the founder of OMX and Startup Canada’s 2017 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

OMX is a tech startup that helps companies access procurement opportunities and measure their economic impact. Nicole grew up in a family-owned manufacturing business and learned the risks of entrepreneurial life first-hand. She ran her own manufacturing firm before launching OMX at the age of 27.

In this episode, Nicole shares the challenges of attracting top talent; her experience as a female founder; and why she believes technology has the potential to make us all more human.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Linda Hasenfratz is the CEO of Guelph, Ontario-based Linamar.

Linamar is a true Canadian success story. Linda’s father, a refugee from Hungary, started the company as a one-man machine shop in his basement in the mid-1960s. Today, it’s a diversified manufacturer with 61 plants around the world and revenues closing in on $10 billion a year. In this episode we talk about Linda’s path to the C-suite, the challenges she faced in her early years as CEO, and the lessons she’s learned along the way about life and leadership.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“Canadians will be a lot more digital post COVID.”  Stacey Madge, Country Manager and President of VISA Canada, offers insight into how the pandemic is changing consumer behavior, what that will mean in the future, and how VISA is helping small businesses through the crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“I’ve seen how business relationships can lift a community and a person out of poverty into a place where they’re full of pride.” Indigenous business leader JP Gladu speaks with Goldy Hyder about forging ties between Indigenous businesses and corporate Canada. He also reflects on calls for action against racism, and discusses the impact of COVID-19 on him and his community.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Marcelo Lu is President of BASF Canada. He grew up in Brasil, has roots in China, was educated in the United States, and established his career in Europe and Asia.

Today he leads the Canadian operations of the world's largest chemical producer. He brings a truly international perspective to his role at BASF Canada, but as you'll hear, he has also developed a strong personal connection to this country. And he has some equally strong opinion about Canada's place and potential in the global economy.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Iggy Domagalski is a big believer in having fun at work. “Work can be enjoyable,” he says. “When people know that they can have a bit of fun and that they can take five minutes to spend some fun time with their peers, I think that sends them back to their desk smiling.”

Domagalski is the President and CEO of Wajax, a Canadian industrial products and service company. With 3000 employees working in 120 branches across the country, a strong corporate culture that embraces positivity is a big priority for him. That’s why you might run into a foosball table or an impromptu basketball game at a Wajax office.

“You spend more than half your waking life with your teammates at work,” he says. “Why can't that be enjoyable?”

Domaglaski believes happiness and fulfillment at work can permeate into the larger community. “Business can be a real power for good.”

In a wide-ranging conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Domagalski discusses his approach to leadership, how he embraced entrepreneurship at an early age, the importance of mentors and why Wajax is dedicated charitable giving.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

“Each day is truly a gift.” Lisa Lisson, President of Federal Express Canada

Over the past few months we’ve heard from many business leaders as they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Guests on this podcast have told us how they have overcome unique challenges and we’ve heard about the many ways corporate Canada has supported communities through the crisis. 

Today, in our final podcast of the season, we’re continuing on the theme of leadership and resilience … but this time the story is much more personal.

Ten years ago Lisa Lisson was named President of Federal Express Canada – the first woman and the first Canadian to head the company.

She’d worked her way from the ground floor to the corner office – but just as her career was catching fire, she suffered a devastating personal loss that would have frankly stopped many people in their tracks. Instead, Lisa channelled her grief into an inspiring memoir and has gone on to help countless others deal with life’s challenges.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Tabatha Bull, President & CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business discusses the impact of the federal government’s wage subsidy plan, the unique challenges faced by indigenous companies during the pandemic and what we can learn from elders during a time of crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

As the fourth generation leader of a family business, Galen Weston recognizes the responsibility he shoulders – to his employees, his country, and his great-grandfather’s legacy. Weston’s Real Home-made Bread began in Toronto in 1882. Today, George Weston Limited is one of Canada’s largest private sector companies, with more than 200,000 employees.

“It makes you think in decades, not in quarters,” he says. “You think about what is this company going to be not just a year from now, but 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now.”

In a frank and revealing conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Weston discusses what he calls “patient capital” – his long-view approach to ensuring the company remains strong and vibrant for generations to come. 

It’s a mindset he says Canada needs to adopt as a country, calling on public policymakers to think about how to create long-term prosperity. And he urges business leaders to be part of the discourse. “That unguarded dialogue about what's in the national interest could pay some meaningful dividends,” he says.

Listen to the full interview, including his reflections on inflation, food prices and the challenges of leadership in the face of public scrutiny, on the Speaking of Business podcast.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a digital transformation that was already well underway in Canada - just look at the phenomenal rise in online shopping and video conferencing over the past year.

But the digital economy requires new skills. Is Canada’s workforce ready?

“There is this stat that 40% of work is going to be impacted by automation,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP and Country Manager of Google Canada. “The misnomer is it’s 40% of jobs.  It’s actually 40% of WORK. Which means every single person will have an aspect of their job that will [involve] working alongside digital tools … so every worker needs to continuously train as these tools evolve.”

For Geremia, lifelong learning is essential to helping Canadians adapt to an ever-evolving work environment.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

On this COVID-19 Special Edition of Speaking of Business: Goldy speaks with Dax Dasilva - CEO of Lightspeed about what the company is doing to help their customers - 75,000 independent retailers and restaurants around the world - cope through the current crisis.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

Dean Connor is President and CEO of Sun Life Financial.

Sun Life is one of the world’s top insurance companies, and Dean is one of Canada’s most decorated CEOs. He was Ivey Business Leader of the Year in 2018, CEO of the Year in 2017, and Top New CEO in 2014.

But the path of Dean’s career wasn’t inevitable. In this episode, we’ll hear how a much-loved hobby nearly led him in a different direction. We’ll also talk about Sun Life’s strategy to stay ahead at a time of digital transformation, and why it’s so important for Canadians to match the accelerate “clock speed” of business in the United States and Asia.

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Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of Canada’s downtowns are still eerily quiet. Thousands of employees continue to work from home, leaving many office buildings sparsely occupied.

But Jon Love, founder and CEO of KingSett Capital, believes Canadian cities will bounce back after the pandemic.

The reason? Connection.

“We can connect digitally, but it's so different than connecting live,” he says.  “Relationships are the currency of business. And connection and relationships are built in person. They can be maintained digitally. But the fact is, new relationships or building relationships or the nuances of relationships are very tough online. You cannot schedule spontaneity and creation.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

When Dani Reiss took over his grandfather’s apparel business more than two decades ago, he gambled on Canada. He resolved to continue making high-end outerwear in Canada, at a time when others in the industry were moving production abroad.

The bet paid off. Today Canada Goose is recognized around the world for its luxury clothing. Reiss credits part of that success to the decision to stick with a “Made in Canada” label. 

For international customers, he says, “a Canada Goose jacket made in Canada was like a Swiss Watch made in Switzerland. It's a quintessential Canadian product when the place of manufacturing cannot be separated from the product itself.”

In conversation with Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast, Reiss urges other Canadian businesses to “leverage the power of the Canadian brand.” He also reflects on being named to AMA Toronto’s Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends, which honours business excellence within the marketing profession. 

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts

On April 19th Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will unveil Canada’s first federal budget in more than two years – a budget she has described as the most significant of our lifetimes.

What will it take to build a stronger, healthier and more resilient economy after the pandemic?

In a timely conversation at the Canadian Club Toronto, Goldy Hyder discusses the path forward with Monique Leroux, Chair of the Industry Strategy Council, Mark Little, President and CEO of Suncor Energy and Darryl White, CEO of BMO Financial Group.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts