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The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is opening a government-affairs office serving Western Canada.

The Calgary-based office will support the CLHIA’s members operating in the west and work with provincial and territorial governments and other regional stakeholders, according to a press release. The office is the association’s first permanent operation west of Toronto and will be led by Kim Doran, director of government relations at the CLHIA.

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“This new office reflects the continued and growing importance of Western Canada to Canada’s life and health insurers,” said Stephen Frank, president and CEO of the CLHIA, in the release. “Governments in the west, the Pacific and north are responding to their own challenges and there’s a great deal that insurers can do to help the public and private sectors ensure access to prescription drugs and mental-health supports, as well as infrastructure investment.”