ABOUT US - SPECIAL ADVISORS

The Honourable Peter Lougheed has had a highly distinguished political and business career in Canada and his dedication to improving health care and education has been recognized with numerous honours.  He served as Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985 and became a partner in the Calgary-based law firm of Bennett Jones LLP after retiring from politics.  He is currently Counsel at the firm. 

He is a Director of several Canadian companies, Co-Chair of the North American Forum on continental economic and social integration issues, and a member of the Trilateral Commission, a non-governmental policy-oriented discussion group with members from North America, the European Union, and Japan.  He is past-president of the Historica Foundation Advisory Council promoting Canadian culture and education.

He served in the late 1980s as Co-Chair of the Canadian Alliance for Trade and Job Opportunities and in 1991 became Co-Chair of the Canada-Japan Forum 2000.

He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1971 and is a member of the Privy Council of Canada and a Companion of the Order of Canada.  He was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 2001 in recognition of his lifelong commitment to health research.  In 2005, the Peter Lougheed-CIHR (Canadian Institute of Health Research) Award was created to encourage young health researchers.

He is Chancellor Emeritus of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and holds eight Honorary Doctorates.

Roger has had a distinguished career in education and in the Alberta public service, serving in the position of Deputy Minister in four departments, including Health and Wellness.  He is currently Interim Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta.

He entered the public service in 1998 as Deputy Minister of Alberta Education, following a career as a teacher and school administrator.  The following year, the Department of Innovation and Science was formed and Roger was named Deputy Minister.  While there, he created Alberta SuperNet, a broadband Internet protocol network linking 420 communities and connecting all hospitals, schools and government offices.

Roger moved in 2001 to Alberta Environment where, as Deputy Minister, he put in place the process that led to the province’s water strategy, Water for Life, and served for two years as president of the Clean Air Strategic Alliance.

He was appointed Deputy Minister of Alberta Health and Wellness in 2002.  During his two-year tenure, Roger focused his efforts on improving health information and health care delivery.  He was instrumental in creating the provincial on-line Waitlist Registry and the first provincial electronic health record in Canada.  He also negotiated an eight-year trilateral agreement with physicians and health authorities to create Local Primary Care Initiatives that have the potential to revolutionize family medicine in Alberta.

Roger received the Institute of Public Administration of Canada 2004 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration. He is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and the Alberta Centennial Medal.

Ross’s public service spans health, sports, education, the arts, and business.

He serves as a member of the National Cabinet for the Banff Centre Capital Campaign, the Honorary Advisory Board of the Anything is Possible Tour, the Board of Governors of Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta and Northwest Territories, the Board of Governors of The Miller Thomson Foundation, and the Board of Governors of the Canadian Olympic Foundation.  He is also Honorary Director of the Edmonton Business Council for the Visual Arts.

In addition to his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of PCL Construction Group Inc., Ross serves as a member of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and of the World Presidents’ Organization.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Melcor Developments Ltd.

He was named Consumers’ Choice Businessman of the Year in 2004, and was selected by the University of Alberta as its 2005 Canadian Business Leader of the Year.