The Honourable Leela Aheer stopped in for a visit in Brooks to the Steaming Cup with Naomi Zacharias’, Business Development Coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce, to have a conversation during the monthly 'Business Blend' event. Naomi sent a quick text to His Worship, Mayor Norm Gerestein, who, in true Brooks fashion, popped by without hesitation. What followed was a fantastic and wide-ranging conversation about the future of local businesses and new avenues for growth. Here's what Leela had to share about her visit:

"It was one of those moments that could only happen in a place like Brooks — warm, spontaneous, and rooted in genuine community spirit. 

I, along with my NextVia Inc. colleagues, accompanied by our founder and CEO, Hon. Kazir Coulibaly, the Honorary Consul General to the Republic of Côte D’ivoire, Munesh Kumar, and Anna Zelinska shared NextVia’s commitment to helping small and medium-sized enterprises reach new markets. Our focus is on strengthening municipal economies by turning local businesses into export-ready leaders — keeping innovation and prosperity rooted in the communities where they begin.

Our team is excited to build a strong partnership with the City of Brooks and the Brooks–Newell region. We will be returning in January to meet with Mayor Gerestein and his team to explore collaboration and long-term economic development opportunities.

One of the most inspiring parts of our conversation was the region’s impressive manufacturing sector. The Brooks–Newell Region is recognized as one of Alberta’s major productivity centres. With a highly specialized workforce and a strong foundation of skilled labour, manufacturing stands as the largest single sector of the regional economy, and an area rich with potential for expansion and global reach.

What struck us most during this visit was the exceptional warmth of the people we met. Brooks is a small, lovely city nestled in the heart of the prairies, yet it carries the ambition and collaborative spirit of a much larger centre. We feel fortunate to have connected with such dedicated community builders, and we look forward to working together in the months ahead.

Thank you to all for the warm welcome, and we are so excited to collaborate!"

- Hon. Leela Aheer ECA

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce welcomes all opportunities to meet with Government representatives (past and present), industry leaders and investors to help connect and support our region, while influencing positive change. The Chamber appreciated the opportunity to connect with Honourable Leela Aheer, a Strategic Advisor for the Alberta-India Chamber of Commerce. We're looking forward to having her visit the region again, with a potential guest appearance at the Chamber of Commerce Brooks-Newell Christmas Social at Piston Broke on December 17.

For background, the Honourable Aheer began her university education in Political Science at the University of Calgary, transferring to the University of Manitoba to earn a Bachelor of Music degree. Post-graduation, she taught music for 22 years and was involved in family-owned businesses. She was an MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore/Chestermere-Rocky View from 2015-2023, holding the position of Deputy Leader of the United Conservative Party from 2017 to 2021 and Alberta's Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women from April 2019 to July 2021. https://albertaindiacc.ca/team