Wretched "Radiance" from the album "Decay"

Wretched "Radiance"

We kick off our first podcast, wrapping up our coverage of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, including our coverage of the vintage tractor pull.  

David Spence weighs in on the drought situation and provides a bit of insight into the recent hailstorms we have seen across the prairies.  (7:00)

How much water do you think it takes to produce a Stampede breakfast (5 Pancakes, Beef Sausage and a cup of coffee)? It's more than you think!  We have insights from an interesting study from the Simpson Centre at the University of Calgary. (11:25)  

We wrap up the program by talking to BASF VP Leta LaRush about BASF’s Growing Home Program and this year’s Alberta winner – Hussar Agricultural Society. Brad Dundas from the Hussar Ag Society shares a bit about the community. We also talk about the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, Buffalo Coulee Community Hall and Eaglesham & District Agricultural Society.(14:50)

Rural Roots Canada informs and celebrates the agriculture community by sharing real stories and information about rural life across the Prairies and the country.

RRC Podcast Ep. 1 – Drought, Hail, Calgary Stampede and BASF’s Growing Home Program

As fintech companies transition from scrappy startups to scaled operations, traditional leadership models often hit their limits. The demands of managing complex partnerships, navigating regulatory requirements, and driving sustainable growth require a different kind of executive structure than the founder-led approach that got many companies off the ground. 

Today, I'm joined by Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox, and Anchit Singh, the company's Chief Business Officer, to explore how they've developed a collaborative leadership model that's helped drive Fundbox's evolution in the embedded finance space. We'll dig into the CEO-CBO dynamic, how they divide responsibilities, and what other growing fintechs can learn about building leadership structures that scale.


The jazz ensemble approach: How Fundbox's dual leadership model powers lending growth

Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz announced proposed updates to the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system.  
Learn more: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=9394747127445-C0F9-96A7-43804C08764CE1D4

Keeping industry competitive and protecting jobs - September 16, 2025

A rancher from Sundre, Alberta, has received a prestigious honour from the Canadian Cattle Foundation.
Brianna Elliot is a recipient of the Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy award.
Elliot, who is a participant in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program, was selected by her peers for being a positive, humble leader with the ability to bring people together to achieve a common goal and being an overall exceptional ambassador of the Canadian beef industry.
Elliot was presented with the award at the semi-annual meeting in Quebec.

Sundre, Alberta Rancher Receives 2025 Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award

Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Rick Wilson marked the opening of a new medically supported detox facility in Edmonton.  
Learn more: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=93948482EA39F-93DA-29DE-7DC7520F8F3AD27C


Expanding addiction detox capacity in Edmonton - September 16, 2025

More than half of Americans report that they will run out of money when they stop earning a paycheck and millions haven't saved enough to maintain their standard of living in retirement, There is an urgent need to re-imagine the role record keepers play in financial wellness, and it starts by leveraging technology to close the gap between capabilities and customer expectations. 

“When I look at things like automatic enrollment and automatic increase, that's where it starts,“ explains Will Hicks, Head of FIS Global Retirement Products and Services. “Then it bleeds into the technology phase in terms of how you deliver that. How do you actually let participants know how that impacts their financial future?“.

The sector is in transition, where traditional retirement record keeping is expanding into comprehensive financial wellness platforms. Scott Parker, Partner at Deloitte Consulting and leader of their wealth retirement practice, notes that the industry is “at the cusp of taking it to the next level and getting outside of what we've always done in the past, which is more and more communication.“

The change is driven by both technological capabilities and changing expectations which center around integrated solutions: “Our clients are asking us to bring those solutions together, because they want a clear picture of not just their retirement, but what are they doing in the banking space?“ said Sherry Baker, SVP and Head of Global Wealth Products and Services at FIS. 
Listen to the podcast to discover how retirement industry leaders are breaking down traditional silos to deliver integrated financial wellness solutions that go far beyond the 401(k). Learn the role that modernization, data, personalization, and cybersecurity play in pushing record keepers forward. It's a conversation on record keeping organizations can meet regulatory requirements while meeting the daily engagement expectations of younger participants.


Why record keepers are becoming workplace financial wellness firms, ft. FISinalCut

Giornata mondiale dell'alimentazione 2025 - Annuncio di servizio pubblico

Mental Health and Addiction Minister Rick Wilson and Chief Cody Thomas provided an update on the recovery community being built in partnership with Enoch Cree Nation.
Learn More: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=93962D79F4304-CB31-F655-107E22116AD22875

Recovery community taking shape in Enoch Nation - September 19, 2025

In this episode of the Rural Roots Canada Podcast, host Tim Parent sits down with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, the Food Professor and Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, to discuss why food and agriculture were left out of Canada’s first wave of nation-building projects. Dr. Charlebois unpacks what that omission says about Canada’s priorities on the world stage, the risks of sidelining agrifood in big-picture policy, and why infrastructure, research, and strategy are key to strengthening Canada’s rural future.

RRC Podcast Ep. 8 - Sept. 19 - Agriculture & Nation-Building with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois

RRC strives to tell unique stories from the agriculture community that show the true roots of the industry. It will also show off new products and ideas from the ever evolving industry.

RRC Podcast Ep. 1 – Drought, Hail, Calgary Stampede and BASF’s Growing Home Program

RRC soundbites