BANFF — The serene alpine setting will stand in stark contrast to the theme of this year’s Global Business Forum conference: “thriving in chaos.” It’s the 27th year for the conference, held annually at the stately Banff Springs Hotel nestled in the Rocky Mountains west of Calgary. Lois Mitchell, the former Alberta lieutenant-governor who co-chairs the forum, says rarely have participants seen such turmoil and rupture in the international order. Sessions are to cover global security, strained Canada-U.S. relations, space travel, artificial intelligence and more. Among the speakers are Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, former Canadian ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. Executives with Shell Canada, Canadian National Railway Co. and Telus Corp. are also on tap to share their perspectives. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2026. Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
