ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT LUNCHEON & PANEL DISCUSISION

This panel event will feature an engaging Q & A session, moderated with questions sourced directly from the audience. 

This event serves as an interactive platform where the business community and our elected officials converge to facilitate productive dialogues and strengthen collaborative ties. It offers attendees an opportunity for direct engagement with elected representatives spanning from municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government. 

The primary objective of this event is to provide clarity regarding the responsibilities of each level of government, as well as to address questions related to business advocacy and support at each level. The questions raised and the ensuing discussions, will further inform the advocacy direction for our chamber moving forward.

Agenda:
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM Buffet Lunch/ Networking
11:50 AM - Sponsor Presentation: Melcor 
12:00PM - 1:00PM Panel Intros and Q & A

For more information, contact Cheryl at cheryl@airdriechamber.ab.ca or by phone at 403-948-4412.

SPEAKERS:

BLAKE RICHARDS, MP Blake Richards has been a Member of the House of Commons since 2008. He is the Conservative Shadow Minister for Veteran's Affairs. Among other roles, he has previously served as the Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Commons, as Shadow Minister for Tourism, Small Business and Export Promotion, and was a member of the Finance Committee when the previous Conservative Government balanced the federal budget following the worldwide recession.   Always focused on the needs of his constituents, Blake has three times been named Canada's Best Constituency MP as well as Hardest Working MP. He has also received a Canadian Tourism Award for his work in Parliament on behalf of the tourism industry.

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ANGELA PITT, MLA AIRDRIE-EAST Angela Pitt was elected to her third term as Member of the Legislative Assembly for Airdrie-East on May 29, 2023. She has been re-elected to the position of Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees. Mrs. Pitt previously served as a member of the Special Standing Committee on Members Services, the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices, the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing, the Select Special Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Search Committee and the Standing Committee on Families and Communities.  She was recently appointed by Premier Smith as the lead delegate to the National Conference of State Legislators to represent Alberta's interests amongst American law makers and our largest trading partner.  She is elected as the alternate chair to the Canadian Women Parliamentarians Association and serves as the Alberta chair. Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, she was a small business owner in Airdrie. During this time, she also served as president of a local constituency association and was an active volunteer in her community. She holds a business administration diploma with a major in marketing from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). Mrs. Pitt has two children, lives in Airdrie and enjoys reading, gardening, and snowboarding. She was the 894th Member to be sworn in to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

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MAYOR HEATHER SPEARMAN Mayor Heather Spearman career has been a mix of people and results. She started in arts and culture, learning how to build community and speak up for it. Later, she moved into technology and data, working with businesses of every size from local shops to global Fortune 500 companies, where she led teams, solved problems, and delivered outcomes. She held this career while serving on city council, and that blend of creativity and strategy shaped her into a leader who can listen, connect, and make things happen. She is deeply committed to supporting local. When it comes to your friends, family, or neighbours, supporting local is not just a choice; it is a value. That has been true in her years of work in arts, culture, and advocacy, and it still guides how she serves today. She has had the privilege of four very productive years on City Council, along with years of leadership experience, post-secondary education, and a proven record of getting results. But the most important part of who she is: She is a neighbour raising a family here, thankful every day for this community, and determined to make sure every Airdrie family feels heard, supported, and proud to call this city home.

 

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REEVE SUNNY SAMRA Councillor Sunny Samra represents Division 6, which includes the Conrich to Indus and Dalemead areas. He immigrated to Canada from India and settled in Conrich in 2012. A license real estate agent, Sunny became a community advocate after facing local development and water issues. He as elected to champion responsible growth, improved infrastructure, and stronger community engagement. Sunny has been active in intermunicipal collaboration, including Prairie Economic Gateway, Kneehill County, County of Wheatland and the South-Central Rural Municipalities of Alberta. His approachable style and commitment to equitable development make him a trusted voice for residents in one of the county's most dynamic regions.  At the 2025 Council Organizational Meeting, Sunny was elected by his peers to serve as Reeve for the following year.

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