Oprah Winfrey, creator of the most successful talk show in television history, is coming to Calgary.

Become a Calgary Chamber member before Monday December 17, 2012 and you’ll be entered into a draw to win two tickets to An Evening with Oprah at the Scotiabank Saddledome on January 22, 2013.

The winner will be announced in eConnecting on December 18, 2012.

Join the Chamber today for your chance to win.

Thursday January 31, 2013
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
CREB Main floor
300 Manning Road NE

If you run a business or manage people, you need to have a good understanding of employment law.

That includes understanding the implied terms of an employment contract, causes for dismissal and what constitutes a wrongful dismal, the obligations of an employer after termination,  as well as the responsibilities of an employer according to the employment standards code and humans right act. 

Get the answers to all your business questions relating to employment law from two lawyers with McLeod Law during this informative lunch-time presentation.

Being a member of a chamber of commerce can have big benefits for your business, particularly if you are a small business.

According to recent survey of 2,000 adults conducted by the Schapiro Group, if a respondent knew a small business was a member of their local chamber, that business noticed a 49 per cent increase in its consumer favourability rating, a 73 per cent increase in consumer awareness and an 80 per cent increase in the likelihood that consumers would patronize that business in the future.

To learn more about what Chamber membership can do for your business, contact membership@calgarychamber.com.

Wednesday January 30, 2013
8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Savanna Energy Services Corp.
Suite 800, 311 6th Ave SW

Calgary is the third-most ethnically diverse city in Canada. That means every employer, business owner and worker needs to have a thorough understanding of workplace diversity, employment equity and multiculturalism.

Join Canada’s most experienced diversity trainer Neil McDonald for a one-day workshop on the changing Canadian workplace, which discusses what employers and employees need to know to navigate this environment and unlock the potential that comes from working with a diverse mix of employees.

Only 20 spots are available. Hurry up and book today. 

Ideal Life Experience Ltd. is a values-based financial planning firm that helps people make smart choices with their money by providing them with a fully integrated plan that covers such areas as cash reserves, growth and income assets, debt and insurance.

By using Ideal Life Experience’s financial-planning process, you can attain your ideal financial future in a way that fits with your personal values, regardless of the economic cycle.

For more information, contact Dean Kendall at ta@ideal-life-experience.ca  or 403 543 7226.

The Calgary Chamber has partnered with the Institute of Corporate Directors to give away three free tickets to our members to a professional development breakfast held at 7:15 am on Thursday, December 13 at the Petroleum Club.

This breakfast will feature a panel discussion on a board of directors’ role in integrating financial risk with corporate strategy. Some of the questions that will be explored include: Should companies exposed to commodity price, foreign exchange and interest rate risk implement hedges for certainty? Should companies buy back their stock if the share price is depressed in the marketplace? Should companies maintain investor distributions, even if it requires increased debt, reduced capital programs or selling assets?

Be one of the first three members to email marketing@calgarychamber.com, citing this exclusive Chamber member offer (one ticket per person) or purchase your tickets online.

Thursday January 24, 2013
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
DIRTT Environmental Solutions
7303 30th Street SE

Meet new clients and make new business connections in the inspiring and innovative atmosphere of DIRTT Environmental Solutions.

DIRTT – which stands for Doing It Right This Time – builds custom, prefab modular workspaces. This method of building is suitable for offices, industrial spaces, healthcare facilities, schools and soon residential homes. DIRTT has become the biggest company in its industry, going from zero to more $130 million in sales in the past seven years.

Enjoy appetizers from DIRTT’S on-site kitchen or take a tour and network in the office space of this innovative company.

Yesterday parliament passed a unanimous motion to endorse the Calgary Chamber’s position on foreign direct investments, which asked the government – with respect to the Investment Canada Act – to:

• Clarify the net benefit test
• Include parameters concerning reciprocity
• Improve the transparency of decisions
• Set specific criteria for state-owned companies to meet regarding net benefit requirements for foreign company takeover bids in order to protect the Canadian economy from potential foreign government interference

This is the first time the Chamber’s advocacy work has been endorsed by all political parties in Ottawa – illustrating our ability to connect and influence key policy makers. 

Learn more about how the Chamber represents the interests of business.

Canadian salaries are going up in 2013 and Alberta employers will be leading the way with the most significant increases.

Making sure your employees are compensated in a way that is on par with industry competitors can play a big part in staff retention and attraction.

Learn more about the salary and bonus trends that companies can expect in the year ahead.