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Kit Chan
Director, Bank of Canada
As one of 15 directors of the Bank of Canada, the federal keeper of the country's currency, Kit Chan wields a lot of power. Since being appointed Alberta's representative in 1999 by then Finance Minister Paul Martin, Chan has overseen the country's monetary policies, rubber stamping how the central bank influences short-term interest rates, the -issuing of bank notes, and the operation of a safe, sound and efficient national monetary authority. She is an active spokesman for the bank, imparting the bank's strategies to western and northern Canadian communities, as far north as Yellowknife and as far south as Medicine Hat. At an October 2004 Calgary ceremony, Chan introduced Canada's new security--enhanced $50 bill to the country. Chan's political connections don't end with her position at the bank - she is the wife of former longtime Calgary mayor Al Duerr. That shouldn't imply that Chan hasn't forged her own way. Through her own three-year-old company, Canada Education Inc., the Chinese migr has been busy building bridges between China and Alberta, spending much of her time in China, especially the north, setting up vocational training centres and bringing Canadian expertise to the colleges and universities there. Chan is also a board member of CV Technologies Inc. and is a cabinet member of Calgary's United Way Campaign. - AD
How difficult is it to bridge the gaps between Alberta's entrepreneurial spirit and China's Communist leanings?
I think many people in China are more entrepreneurial than Albertans. There is a lot of private and free enterprise. It's absolutely crazy when you do business over there. People have their cellphones going 24 hours a day. Every one of them is in a hurry to get caught up, mainly because China has been shut away for so many years.
Who do you think is the greatest Albertan ever?
If I have to pick one, I will have to go with Peter Lougheed.
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