Ep. 552: Untapping Canada’s Potential
Guests: David Williams (Business Council of BC)
The untapped potential of Canada’s natural resource sector is staggering, says David Williams. Williams is the Chief Economist of the Business Council of British Columbia, who has worked in conjunction with business councils in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Collectively, they issued a report called “Untapped Potential: Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources.”
The report focuses on the vital role that indigenous involvement plays in unlocking resource development. The challenge, according to the report, is “rather than making firm, accountable decisions on how to exercise its duties within project reviews, the federal government has left these matters in limbo, deferring tough choices to the courts to avoid political risk.”
The report is pointed and harsh, stating that “the Crown’s unclear process has increased an already uncertain business environment, making it more challenging for companies to navigate their Indigenous engagement efforts.”
We invited David Williams to join us for a Conversation That Matters about a path to unlocking Canada’s potential to the benefit of all of us.