ESQUEMA DEL PIGARS Y SU ESTRATEGIA DE FOCALIZACIÓN DE CORTO PLAZO

4.1 Enhance internal capacity and coordination

In the past, at times industries and government have pursued opportunities on their own. The reality is the world is too big and resources are too limited to go at it alone. To be effective, Alberta needs to be strategic and act in a coordinated fashion.

The Government of Alberta needs to ensure a coordinated approach to international relations, advancing strategic international priorities and promoting Alberta’s interests in the development of Canada’s international policy. In government alone, there are multiple stakeholders involved in Alberta’s international activities, including: International and Intergovernmental Relations; Agriculture and Rural Development; Energy; Environment and Sustainable Resource Development; Enterprise and Advanced Education; Tourism, Parks and Recreation; Culture; Education; and Transportation.

A variety of government agencies, boards and corporations also have important international components including Alberta Innovates, Travel Alberta, the Alberta Research and Innovation Authority, and Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.

To effectively implement the Strategy, sector expertise across government must be better coordinated with expertise in the regions. The Government of Alberta will:

■ coordinate international activities to ensure corporate alignment of roles and responsibilities, and effective deployment of resources

■ work on important issues through cross- ministry governance structures

■ implement the recommendations of the Alberta International Offices Report (Appendix A)

■ monitor the Strategy’s progress and report to Albertans on the results obtained and the follow-up required

An example of such an initiative will be in the area of investment attraction. A cross department investment attraction working group will be established to help improve focus, cooperation and communication across government departments involved in the attraction of business investment.

Another example is tourism, where more work can be done across government to position Alberta as a leading tourism destination by leveraging important opportunities like outgoing and incoming missions and better utilizing assets like Alberta International Offices.

To be effective, government will need to ensure existing resources are well aligned through information sharing, shared governance, and clear direction in order to address capacity gaps. This will also require the development of new performance measures that will allow better tracking of qualitative outcomes and more transparent public reporting.

The Government of Alberta is also preparing regional strategies that will identify specific priorities as well as additional actions in support of the strategic objectives of the International Strategy. The regional strategies will help prioritize the key markets of the United States,

China, Asia and the key oil, gas, forestry, and agricultural sectors. They will also help guide the allocation of resources and high level planning for government actions and missions in the coming years.

The Government of Alberta has identified six key regions:

■ United States

■ China

■ North Asia

■ South East Asia

■ Europe

■ Emerging Markets

Each region is represented by a branch within the Ministry of International and Intergovernmental Relations and is responsible for working closely with the international offices within the region, other Government of Alberta ministries, and stakeholders in the delivery of services. The branches help facilitate trade, attract investment, and provide government relations and advocacy. Their objective is to provide an all-encompassing presence for Alberta within specific regions and to understand, identify, analyze and communicate opportunities to decisions makers.

Working with other government ministries, policy capacity will be identified to provide investment, trade negotiations and economic analysis and follow-up. Branches will work hand in hand with Alberta export-ready businesses to connect them with market opportunities. This will require building corporate strategic market intelligence and analysis capacity to ensure opportunities are identified and acted upon in a timely manner.

4.2 Enhance collaborations with stakeholders and partners

As evidenced in this Strategy, the need for economic success and the need for successful relationships are not independent of one another. Both merge and reinforce each other in complex and dynamic ways within the international community. Together they withstand the ebb and flow of specific issues as they may arise, so government should not execute these respective functions independently.

For Alberta to succeed in the global marketplace, it is essential for the government to partner with a variety of stakeholders, many of whom have already created a network of contacts and partnerships that benefit the province as a whole. As part of this Strategy, the Government of Alberta will explore opportunities to better leverage the good work already being undertaken by its partners, including other governments, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, and the business community. The Government of Alberta will ensure the appropriate market intelligence is shared and mission planning is done in a

coordinated and strategic manner. It will also work with partners to identify opportunities to leverage their delivery mechanisms and strengthen the coordination of specific projects and initiatives. Although there are a number of stakeholders across Alberta, attention needs to be paid to a number of specific groups.

FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS

The federal government is Alberta’s single most important partner in the international community. It represents Canada abroad with a sophisticated network of experts and offices in a variety of nations, international organizations and forums. Federal entities such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Export Development Canada and Western Economic Diversification Canada represent critical assets for Alberta companies with which to leverage the much better known Canadian brand.

Alberta will maintain a more consistent dialogue with the Government of Canada through the new Alberta Ottawa Office at all levels to ensure alignment, shared understanding, and joint actions where appropriate. The office will play a leadership role in coordinating engagement by Alberta officials with the federal government. It will raise Alberta’s profile and stature in the government community located in Ottawa, a community that includes the international diplomatic corps. The office will advance Alberta’s priorities and strengthen relationships with both the federal and international governments with increased consistency.

the province’s natural resources, Alberta looks forward to actively participating in all stages of information gathering, negotiation, and implementation of decisions relating to its responsibilities.

In addition to the federal government, Alberta will also work with provincial and territorial partners in developing collaborative international approaches. Alberta will work with the New West Partnership to continue to highlight Western Canada’s importance as a trading partner with Asian countries and work with consulates on joint outreach to state-level decision makers in the United States.

To better support these initiatives, the Government of Alberta will also develop a new intergovernmental strategy that will strengthen Alberta’s engagement efforts with its Canadian partners.

POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

Alberta’s post-secondary institutions are active in many parts of the world. For example, the University of Alberta is involved in more than 400 formal teaching, research and student mobility agreements with governments, organizations and collaborating institutions in more than 50 countries.

The province’s post-secondary institutions prepare Albertans to do business within foreign markets, whether it is educating Alberta businesses or students, or pursuing research. The Government of Alberta will work with its post-secondary partners to find opportunities to effectively leverage these networks.

Alberta’s post-secondary institutions also attract foreign students who bring an international perspective to our learning environment. In turn, many young Albertans are studying and working abroad, but choose to return

broader view of the world and an expanded international network. Those who remain outside the province send back opportunities to open doors internationally.

CITIES, TOWNS AND REGIONS

Alberta, with its unparalleled opportunities, is growing as a centre for immigration – for those who want to work and those who want to invest. Alberta’s cities, towns and communities are on the front lines of that trend, seeing firsthand the new businesses and industries that drive the province’s economy. Our municipal partners understand how immigration impacts their communities and are reaching out around the world to create effective relationships and partnerships.

Alberta needs to coordinate its efforts with the province’s cities, towns and regions to facilitate exports and support investment attraction.

BUSINESS

The associations and authorities throughout Alberta that bring together business leaders provide an opportunity to collaborate in pursuing a coordinated international agenda, work on initiatives such as the Small- and Medium-

size Enterprise Export Council, and leverage important international contacts.

The Alberta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) currently provides long-term strategic advice to the Government of Alberta. Its members include business, academic, and municipal leaders from across the province. Other key associations include Calgary Economic

Development, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Alberta Chambers of Commerce as well as regional economic development alliances.

OTHER PARTNERS

In addition, to successfully build relationships in the international community, a cultural presence and understanding must exist. The more Albertans are aware of and understand international cultures, the easier those relationships are to build. At the same time, the more other international cultures are aware of Alberta and who Albertans are, the more likely it is for Alberta’s great story to be shared. This responsibility falls on all Albertans and all stakeholders to share Alberta’s story with pride.

In this regard, Alberta’s Asia Advisory Council will prove to be a catalyst for understanding the opportunities and overcoming the challenges Alberta faces in this key region. It will become a critical advocate for the province in this vital region.

There are also many other partners that enhance the province’s international presence: the arts and culture community; Alberta’s tourism industry and Travel Alberta; youth groups; and international cooperation organizations. Associations such as the Canada Arab Business Council, the Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations, the Canadian Council of the Americas, and the Canada Council for Africa provide extremely important connections to regions around the world.

The Government of Alberta will engage these entities on a regular basis to advise of its international work and identify potential connections that exist to enhance our common efforts.

The government recognizes that global dynamics will require adjustment to these priorities in the future, and the government will review this strategy on a regular basis to ensure that its global priorities reflect Alberta’s needs and the global situation. The Government of Alberta will take steps to ensure that it can support Alberta entrepreneurs and firms working in any sector that are looking to move into international markets.

In the past, Alberta’s economic future did not rest so heavily on our success in markets beyond Canada and the United States. This is no longer the case.

Alberta’s history shows that we have never shied from the next opportunity. Our success in building new markets and engaging the world will be fundamental to our province’s ongoing prosperity and future. By working with our partners and pursuing these objectives, priorities and actions set out in this Strategy, the Government of Alberta will remain focused on Alberta’s success in an evolving world.