Hon. Gary G. Mar, KC
President and CEO

Since 2020, Gary Mar has served as President & CEO of the Canada West Foundation (CWF), an independent, non-partisan, evidence-based public policy think tank focused on Western Canada. The Foundation ensures that Western Canada’s priorities backed by its economic strength shape national policy through bold solutions and strategic engagement. Under Gary’s leadership, the Foundation’s team of public policy and communications experts advances the interests of Western Canadians by working with governments, industry and partners to build a stronger, more united and prosperous Western region, one that powers Canada’s future.

An accomplished and respected leader, Gary brings decades of experience in government, business and international relations. Before joining CWF, he was President and CEO of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada. From 1993 to 2007, he served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, holding Cabinet portfolios in Health, Education, Environment, Community Development, and International & Intergovernmental Relations. He later represented the Government of Alberta as Minister-Counsellor, serving as the Government’s Official Representative in Washington, D.C. (2007–2011). He also served the Government of Alberta as the Province’s Official Representative across Asia (2011–2015), advancing energy and trade priorities in key global markets, out of their office in Hong Kong and overseeing five other offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Taiwan.

In the private sector, Gary co-founded Canadian Advantage Petroleum Corporation and advised Canadian and Chinese firms on trans-Pacific trade and investment. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta’s School of Business and the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business. In 2022, he was appointed Chair of the Council of the Alberta Order of Excellence.

Gary holds a Law degree from the University of Alberta and practiced law prior to entering public service.  He was born and raised in Alberta and lives with his wife Nancy in Calgary.  They have three children.

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