Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy will require sound public policy, innovative new technologies and significant investment. But success ultimately relies on the people working the jobs that will make the transition a reality. As noted in a recent RBC report, the transition will disrupt more than three million Canadian jobs over the next ten years. Fortunately, many employers are already finding ways to train new workers or reskill current employees to meet the opportunities of a net-zero future.
Join Canadian Club Toronto on March 10 to hear John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President in the Office of the CEO at RBC, moderate a discussion with Canadian business leaders – representing different communities and sectors – who are navigating this transition:
**A link to the live stream will be provided closer to the event date.**
Sharleen Gale
Chief, Fort Nelson First Nation and Chair, First Nations Major Projects Coalition
Sharleen Gale has been an elected Councillor of the Fort Nelson First Nation since 2009. She is an active member of the Fort Nelson First Nation and envisions a future where all members are working together to become a strong, proud, healthy, and self-reliant Nation. She is the grand-daughter of Fred Burke and Madeline Needlay. Her roots run deep in the lives of her people and she enjoys being on the land with her family exploring the territory and teaching her son the traditional ways on the lands and how to hunt, fish, and gather medicines and berries. As a leader and Chief of the Nation, she understands the importance of a upholding the spirit and intent of the treaty by asserting her peoples’ rights to their land and taking responsibility for ensuring that our future generations are able to live their lives in their territory in a way that honours our ancestors.
Sharleen started her career at Westcoast Energy Inc. in 2000. Her various roles working in Administration, Finance, Maintenance, Planning and in Leadership have given her extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, the corporate world and the vision to ensure our people are managing our lands and our resources in our territory to the benefit of our members. Sharleen is the chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) and believes that First Nations need to have the opportunity to have equity in major project infrastructure and access to meaningful financing for these projects happening in their territories. One that focuses on a balance approach of economic prosperity and environmental stewardship. Several First Nations have formed the First Nations Major Projects Coalition for the purposes of examining how ownership of major resource projects on their lands could be facilitated and how environmental practices can be improved to meet their needs.
Linda Hasenfratz
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Linamar Corporation
Hasenfratz’ enthusiasm for the arts prompted her to join the Board of Governors of the Royal Ontario Museum in 2002. In 2012 Hasenfratz became the inaugural Chair of the Philanthropy Leadership Cabinet of the Guelph General Hospital. Involvement in charitable organizations continues to be an important focus for her.
Hasenfratz has also sat on the Board of Advisors for Catalyst Canada since 2003. In February 2017 Hasenfratz was announced as the Canadian Chair of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. Hasenfratz’ desire to see women progress in business to the top level of industry prompted her to participate in these two key initiatives.
Strengthening her position as a Canadian and Global leader, Ms. Hasenfratz was appointed to the CIBC Board of Directors in 2004 and retired from the board in April 2020. She was Canadian Chair of the North American Competitiveness Council in 2008, a trilateral group of executives from Canada, the US and Mexico convened by the countries’ Leaders to debate and advise on key recommendations regarding enhancement of the NAFTA region. Hasenfratz became a member of the Board of the Business Council of Canada (formerly the Canadian Council of Chief Executives) in 2010 and was Chair from 2016 to 2018. Her contribution to this important policy and advisory group has assisted her in developing relationships and advancing ideas to key business and government leaders. In December 2018, Ms. Hasenfratz was appointed to the board of the Association of Equipment Manufactueres (AEM). The Californaiz Mobility Center appointed Ms. Hasenfratz to their board in November 2021.
Ms. Hasenfratz was named the Canadian Outstanding CEO in November 2018 and was also made a member of the Order of Canada in December of the same year.
In recognition of her and Linamar’s support and focus on international growth Hasenfratz has received 2 international honours. The French Government honoured Hasenfratz in June of 2015 with the Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, one of the highest honours bestowed upon a non-civilian in France. In October 2016 Hasenfratz was honoured by the Hungarian government and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary.
Ms. Hasenfratz supports one of Linamar’s key industries, the automotive industry, through her appointment as the first female director to the Faurecia Board of Directors, a French automotive supplier, in 2011 and retired from the board in May 2021. Hasenfratz has been named one of the Automotive News 100 Leading Women in each year of its publication in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. Hasenfratz was recognized for her contributions to Canadian business through an Honourary Degree from Ryerson University in Toronto in 2003, an Honourary Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo in 2011 as well as the Outstanding Leader Award from the same institution in 2007. She also holds an Honourary Degree from Fanshawe College in 2016. In the spring of 2014 The Asper School of Business at the University of Winnipeg honoured Hasenfratz with the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA) which is to honour a business leader who has achieved outstanding entrepreneurial success and has made and exemplary contribution to economic life. In the fall of 2014, Linda Hasenfratz was awarded the Ontario Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Manufacturing and the overall Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Hasenfratz was also extremely honoured to be awarded the National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Canada at a gala in late November and to represent Canada at the World Entrepreneur of the World Conference in Monaco in June 2015. In May of 2016 Linda Hasenfratz, along with her father Frank Hasenfratz, was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. Hasenfratz was awarded the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the University of Victoria in September 2016. In October of 2016 Linda Hasenfratz was awarded the Fraser Institute Founders Award along with Linamar’s President & COO Jim Jarrell. In September 2016 Linda Hasenfratz was named to Fortunes 50 Most Powerful Women International list. The Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario honoured Hasenfratz in October 2017 with their Ivey Business Leader Award. In 2018 Hasenfratz was named Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year and was named to the Order of Canada. In October 2019 she was installed as University of Western Ontario’s 23rd Chancellor.
John Kousinioris
President and Chief Executive Officer at TransAlta.
John Kousinioris is the President and Chief Executive Officer at TransAlta.
John’s prior leadership roles as Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Chief Growth Officer and, most recently, Chief Operating Officer, have provided him with responsibility for almost every aspect of TransAlta’s business. He has overseen operations, shared services, commercial, trading, customer solutions, hedging and optimization and business development. John also served as President and a director of TransAlta Renewables from 2017 – 2021.
Prior to joining TransAlta, John was a partner and co-head of the corporate commercial department at Bennett Jones LLP. He has extensive experience in securities law, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance.
John Stackhouse
Senior Vice-President at RBC
John Stackhouse is a nationally bestselling author and one of Canada’s leading voices on innovation and economic disruption. He is senior vice-president in the Office of the CEO at Royal Bank of Canada, leading the organization’s research and thought leadership on economic, technological and social change.
Previously, he was editor-in-chief of the Globe and Mail and editor of Report on Business. He is a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and sits on the boards of Queen’s University, the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada and the Literary Review of Canada. His latest book, Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future, explores the untapped resource of the millions of Canadians who don’t live here but exert their influence.
