CACC Welcomes the Canadian Mining Delegation to Perth

The Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome the Canadian Mining Delegation to Perth for a cocktail reception following IMARC 2026.

Critical minerals sit at the centre of both nations' economic strategy. Canada and Australia are not only among the world's most significant resource producers - they are also the source of the sophisticated mining services, technology and expertise exported globally to make extraction safer, cleaner and more efficient. The importance of the sector was underscored in Prime Minister Mark Carney's Forward Guidance: A Stronger Canada, released on 9 September 2026.

Each year, IMARC brings that relationship into the same room. A delegation of Canadian provinces and businesses works alongside Australian counterparts to advance a shared agenda: strengthening two already-formidable resource economies. Amid the geopolitical realignment now reshaping global supply chains, that work has never mattered more.

The reception brings together members of the Canadian delegation and their Australian counterparts; industry leaders, institutional investors and representatives of both governments following IMARC week. It is an opportunity for direct discussion post-conference.

To be announced.

Melissa Wharton

Chief Executive Officer

Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce

Melissa Wharton is the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), the peak bilateral business body advancing trade, capital flows and strategic partnerships between Canada and Australia.

She is widely recognised as a leading advocate for deeper economic integration between the two countries, working at the intersection of government, institutional investors and industry. Under her leadership, the CACC convenes senior ministers, pension funds, superannuation leaders and global corporates across priority sectors including institutional investment, critical minerals, infrastructure, energy transition, defence and advanced manufacturing. The Chamber is the only bilateral organisation with active operations and governance presence in both countries.

Melissa is a dual citizen and a recognised advocate for strengthening economic ties between Canada and Australia.

Jackie Leggett

Co-Chair

CACC WESTERN AUSTRALIA COMMITTEE

Jackie Leggett is a senior banking and finance lawyer at the global law firm Clifford Chance LLP, based in Perth. She regularly advises national and international corporate clients and financial institutions on a wide variety of financing structures, with an emphasis on project finance. Her main sectors of focus are mining and natural resources (including renewables).  Jackie is originally from Toronto, Canada and holds legal qualifications in Ontario, Canada, England Wales, NSW Australia and New York State. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys exploring WA's beautiful beaches with her husband and two children.

Tara Roy

Co-Chair

CACC WESTERN AUSTRALIA COMMITTEE

Tara Roy is the current Corporate Finance Lead at South32, a globally diversified metals and mining company with operations in Australia, South Africa and South America, as well as development operations in North America. Tara is responsible for executing the group’s corporate finance strategic objectives. This includes providing input to the Group’s financing, liquidity, capital management and risk management activities.

Prior to joining South32, Tara spent several years at KPMG Australia focused on debt and capital advisory services to clients across the mining, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, government and property sectors, amongst others. Prior to KPMG, Tara spent over a decade in the banking sector in both Australia and Canada.

Tara loves to travel with her husband Chris, often back to their birthplaces in Canada to reconnect with family and friends.