Alberta
Come meet Canadian Olympic Heroes at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
Celebrate with Marco Arop, Nicholas Bennett, Diane Jones Konihowski, Lyndon Rush, Rebecca Smith, Reid Maxwell, and Molly Simpson
September 30, 2024 | Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, Red Deer, AB
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is excited to announce an exclusive Olympian Meet & Greet event on September 30, 2024, featuring a lineup of seven of Canada’s most celebrated athletes: Marco Arop, Nicholas Bennett, Diane Jones Konihowski, Lyndon Rush, Rebecca Smith, Reid Maxwell, and Molly Simpson. This unique event will give fans an extraordinary opportunity to meet these Canadian Olympians, learn about their journeys, and get inspired by their remarkable stories.
Each of these athletes has made significant contributions to their respective sports, representing Canada on the global stage with distinction:
- Marco Arop – A middle-distance running powerhouse, Marco Arop is a decorated 800m runner and World Championship medalist. His resilience, speed, and passion have inspired a new generation of track athletes.
- Nicholas Bennett – A Paralympic swimming sensation, Nicholas Bennett has set records in the pool and inspired countless fans with his dedication, determination, and stellar achievements on the international stage.
- Diane Jones Konihowski – An icon in Canadian athletics, Diane Jones Konihowski is a former Olympic heptathlete and gold medalist at both the Pan American and Commonwealth Games. Her storied career has earned her a lasting legacy in the world of sports.
- Lyndon Rush – An Olympic medalist in bobsleigh, Lyndon Rush is known for his skill and leadership on the ice track. His achievements in the sport have solidified him as one of Canada’s most notable bobsleigh athletes.
- Rebecca Smith – A talented swimmer who represented Canada at the Olympic Games, Rebecca Smith has earned accolades in international competitions, showcasing her strength and perseverance in the pool.
- Reid Maxwell – An accomplished swimmer, Reid Maxwell proudly wore the Canadian colours this year at hist first Paralympic Games in Paris.
- Molly Simpson – A rising star in BMX racing, Molly Simpson has demonstrated her skill and fearlessness on the international circuit. She continues to break barriers in the sport and inspire young athletes across the nation.
Event Highlights: Fans will have the chance to interact with these incredible athletes through autographs, photos, and personal conversations. Attendees will also hear firsthand accounts of their experiences at the highest levels of competition, from the challenges they faced to the triumphs that defined their careers. This event is a rare opportunity to connect with athletes from a wide range of sports, all of whom have represented Canada on the world stage.
Event Details:
Date: September 30, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
4200 Queen Elizabeth II Highway, Red Deer, AB
Tickets: There is no charge for the Meet & Greet and entry to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is included. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore the museum’s engaging exhibits, which showcase the incredible history of sports in Alberta and the achievements of its most prominent athletes.
About the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame:
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a museum dedicated to preserving Alberta’s rich sporting history. With interactive exhibits and a wide collection of artifacts, the Hall of Fame honors the athletes, coaches, and teams that have contributed to the province’s vibrant sports culture. Through events like the Olympian Meet & Greet, the Hall of Fame continues to engage the public and celebrate the athletes who have brought pride to Alberta and Canada.
Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:
“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.
“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.
“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.
“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.
“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.
“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”
From the Fraser Institute
By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.
Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.
In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.
Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.
The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.
Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.
Jock Finlayson
Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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