Recent Blog Posts - Brad Ferguson

In Canada … Clean Air Matters
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Imagine your kids being kept home from school for two weeks because of air quality. Nothing to do with COVID; everything to do with pollution.  That is exactly what happened to my niece last year.  She lives in Shanghai, mostly … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Illusions of Someday
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Illusions of Someday
It is wonderful to see the sun out and people outdoors again. Walking, running, and biking. Experiencing a little ray of sunshine and occasionally, just occasionally, a smile and a friendly hello. Cities and provinces are preparing their re-opening plans … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
The Golden Share
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It feels like five years. But it is only the start of “Week Five” since the Government of Alberta and Ontario issued their States of Emergency. So much has happened. So much hurt has occurred. And so much money has … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Going to the Theatre
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Well before COVID-19 emerged, our news media was filled with stories of polarization, protectionism, restrictive immigration, trade wars, espionage, and distrust. The era of globalization was slowly unravelling politically, militarily, economically, and ideologically. And the growing chasm betwee...
Published at Brad Ferguson
The Urge to Compete
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Every morning for almost six years I woke up with a single purpose in mind – to make Edmonton remarkable. We rallied the business community around opportunities to attract major events like Red Bull Crashed Ice or industry leaders like … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Let It Not Go To Waste
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Whether it was Winston Churchill, Rahm Emanuel, or Mark Twain who actually said it, the concept of “never wanting a serious crisis to go to waste” has been used as a rallying call many times over the past weeks and … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
The Long Road Ahead
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The Long Road Ahead
There are two types of people in the world. Those who drain their gas tanks almost to empty before they refill, and those that keep their tanks topped up in case they run into an emergency. Much discussion has occurred … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Absence of Rankings
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In the private sector, it’s pretty easy to know whether your organization is outperforming the others in your industry sector. It is easy to find out if you have better margins, or lower employee turnover, a lower costs structure or … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Too Big To Function
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Go back to early Chinese history, the Roman Empire, the writings of Karl Marx or Max Webster and you will find that bureaucracy has always existed. It exists at the family level with parental hierarchy. It exists in military regimes … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Time to Expect More
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Not all, but many in the public service have forgotten the larger mission, have become demoralized, and have adopted a behaviour of mediocrity. How could they not?  Politicians are stuck in ideological dogma. Leadership is based on polling, not principles. … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Calling All Leaders!!
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Our system is broken, and we know it’s broken. Our public service – those bureaucracies, institutions, universities and healthcare systems – who once gave our country a massive advantage over others, are fast becoming the Achilles heel of our competitiveness. … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Where Credit is Due
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Every time I tell the Edmonton story, from Hangzhou to Helsinki, from roundtables of 10 to audiences of 1100, people are fascinated how we evolved the Edmonton brand and engaged our whole community in the process. They ask, “How did … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Let’s Talk Brand & Reputation
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What are the first images that come to mind when people think of the word Edmonton? Are they images of festivals and events? Images of young entrepreneurs? Images of blue skies and river valleys? Images of Rogers Place and PCL … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Canada’s Budget for Edmonton Businesses
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Last night at dinner, the discussion on the federal budget was deafening. Everyone was focused on the escalating debt and the deficit, all with spirited and good intention. But beyond the big looming debt number, not one business owner knew … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
Global Intention
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After university, I decided to spend a year abroad – something every student should do before they enter the workforce and inherit the conventional view of possibilities. I headed for Japan, fascinated with how this country had emerged post-WWII as … Continue reading →
Published at Brad Ferguson
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