Meet the Hunter Prize judges

Theo Argitis is The Hub’s Editor-at-Large for economics and business. Theo has been a journalist for the better part of three decades, spending much of his career leading Canadian government and economic news coverage for Bloomberg News in Ottawa. Most recently, he served as Managing Director at Compass Rose Group, a prominent public affairs firm in the nation’s capital.

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt’s current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors, which align closely with her deep expertise.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Raitt was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected into the House of Commons in 2008, where she went on to hold three senior portfolios serving as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada.

Ms. Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Guelph. She possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario bar in 1998. In 2020, Ms. Raitt was named a Woodrow Wilson Center Global Fellow of the Canada Institute. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Coalition for a Better Future.

Frances Donald is the Chief Economist at RBC and oversees a team of leading professionals who deliver economic analyses and insights to inform RBC clients around the globe. Frances is a key expert on economic issues and is highly sought after by clients, government leaders, policy makers, and media in the U.S. and Canada. She provides unique insights and actionable ideas on the macroeconomic environment and financial markets across North America and is recognized for her ability to effectively communicate complex economic issues.

Frances joined RBC from another financial institution where she served as global chief economist and strategist. In this capacity, she was responsible for forecasting global macroeconomic and financial trends, analyzing the economy and capital markets for potential opportunities and risks, and serving as a thought leader both within the firm and externally.

She’s a frequent public speaker and regularly appears in international and Canadian media, including Bloomberg, CNBC, the Financial Post, the Globe & Mail and CBC.

Frances obtained a Bachelor of Economics from Queen’s University and earned her master’s degree in economics from New York University.

Dr. Jack M. Mintz is the President’s Fellow of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary after serving as the Palmer Chair and founding Director from January 1, 2008, to June 30, 2015.

He is a board member of Mackenzie Health, York Region, Ontario and the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow, MacDonald-Laurier Institute, Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute, and research fellow at the International Tax and Investment Centre in Washington D.C., CESIfo Germany and Oxford’s Centre of Business Taxation. He is a member of the editorial board of International Tax and Public Finance. He is a weekly contributor to the Financial Post of Canada. Dr. Mintz became a member of the Order of Canada in 2015, as well as receiving the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for service to the Canadian tax policy community and Queen Elizabeth Platinum Medal in 2023 for serving as chair of the Alberta Premier’s Economic Recovery Council from 2020 to 2022.

Alicia Planincic is the Director of Policy & Economics at the Business Council of Alberta. She regularly provides insight and analysis on the Albertan and Canadian economy, public finances, labour markets, equity and social mobility, and public policy. She leads BCA’s regular economic analysis and outlook publications and work, including The Snapshot, and advocates for policies to make Alberta a better place.

She brings a broad range of previous experience including leading projects in market research at Nielsen and teaching economics and business to young adults. She holds a BA in economics from Miami University and an MA in economics education from the University of Georgia. Thanks to this background, she is passionate about bringing data to life, and providing a fresh perspective.

Her philosophy of economics can be summed up in two parts: 1) economics is not about money, it is about people and should therefore be centred on individuals and human behaviour. And 2) the world is constantly changing; it’s on us to continually update our knowledge, challenge our logic, and learn new ways of thinking.