Podcasts about Canada West Foundation

Prime Minister Mark Carney went to Washington to try and reset relations with Donald Trump. Should he do the same with China and India? Ties with them have been strained in recent years, so can the new PM find a way to work with the world's two most populous countries? Host Steve Paikin asks: Rohinton Medhora, Professor of Practice at McGill University, and a Distinguished Fellow at CIGI, the Centre for International Governance Innovation; Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President of Research & Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; And Jeff Mahon, Director of Geopolitical & International Business Advisory at StrategyCorp and Executive in Residence at the Canada West Foundation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this timely episode, Gary Mar, President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation and former Alberta Cabinet Minister, joins Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager and Investment Strategist at Nicola Wealth, to discuss the recent Canadian federal election and what the results could mean for the economy, energy, and national unity. The conversation explores the potential for cross-party cooperation, the evolving relationship with the United States, and how Canada can strengthen its position through productivity, infrastructure, and Arctic strategy. Together, they offer a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion on the decisions that could shape Canada's economic future.

Guest: Jeff Mahon, director of geopolitical and international business advisory at consulting firm StrategyCorp and an executive-in-residence at the Canada West Foundation.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to unveil the full scope of his tariffs plan Wednesday afternoon, a trade policy he says will liberate his country from reliance on foreign goods. Guest host Mark Kelley discusses the economic and political fallout for Canada with former federal minister Lisa Raitt, and Carlo Dade, director of trade and trade infrastructure for the Canada West Foundation.

The trade war with Donald Trump has left many Canadians angry and worried. In response to Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imported goods worth $29.8 billion. But Trump is not backing down, and is still continuing with his “51st state” taunts. So, how should Canada respond? What options do we have? Carlo Dade is the director of international policy in the school of public policy at the University of Calgary. He is also a senior fellow at the Canada West Foundation. He joined us to take caller questions about Canada's tariff retaliation plan. 

In this episode of The Global Exchange podcast, Colin Robertson sits down with Martha Hall Findlay, Philippe Lagassé, Bill Robson and Ian Brodie, to discuss the long-term effects and implications of the Trump-imposed tariffs on Canada. // Participants' bios - Martha Hall Findlay is the Director of the School of Public Policy and Palmer Chair in Public Policy, University of Calgary, CEO of the Canada West Foundation, Chief Sustainability Officer for Suncor and a Member of Parliament. - Philippe Lagasse is an Associate Professor and Barton Chair, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. He was recently awarded the Canadian Forces Medallion for distinguished service for his exemplary contribution to Canadian defence policy. - Bill Robson is President and CEO of the C.D Howe Institute. - Ian Brodie is a Program Director at CGAI and a Professor at the University of Calgary, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Harper and the InterAmerican Development Bank. // Host bio: Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, www.cgai.ca/colin_robertson // // Reading Recommendations: - "Time to Prepare" by Philippe Lagassé, https://www.readtheline.ca/p/philippe-lagasse-time-to-prepare - The Thursday Question by Ian Brodie, https://thethursdayquestion.substack.com/about // Recording Date: March 5, 2025 Release date: March 10, 2025

Greetings, and welcome back to the podcast.This episode we are joined by Mr. Jim Gray, O.C. - co-founder of Canadian Hunter Exploration - one of Canada's largest natural gas producers before its sale in 2001 for ~$3.4 billion.Among his many awards, Mr. Gray has been inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence, the Order of Canada, the Calgary Business Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.Mr. Gray was awarded an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree in 1991 by the University of Calgary, and the Energy Person of the Year Award from the Energy Council of Canada.Mr. Gray is also a founder and former Chairman of Calgary Academy, Honourary Chair of the Canada West Foundation and Honorary Life Director of the Calgary YMCA. Mr. Gray is Chairman of the Energy Group of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.Mr. Gray's previous directorships include Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Cequence Energy Inc., Phoenix Technology Services, Emera Inc., Hudson's Bay Company, and Canadian National Railway, of which he is Director Emeritus. Among other things, we discussed The Can Hunter Days, Pioneering the Deep Basin & 90 Years of Staying Active.Enjoy.Thank you to our sponsors.Without their support this episode would not be possible:Connate Water SolutionsATB Capital MarketsEnergy United Upgrade Labs360 Engineering & Environmental ConsultingCanadian Gas AssociationSupport the show

WELCOME TO THE MWSA PODCAST FOR TUESDAY, FEB. 11th We begin with our weekly conversation with Mercedes Stephenson – Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief – and Host of the West Block. This time out, we get clarification on the latest ‘Tariff' announcement earlier this week by President Donald Trump – focusing on Steel and Aluminum – and what's being done to ‘counter' the tariffs, on our side of the border. Next – we continue the conversation surrounding Steel and Aluminum tariffs. We catch up with Carlo Dade – Director of Trade and Trade Infrastructure with the “Canada West Foundation” – for his views on just how much of an impact the taxation would have on these industries – and our overall economy. And finally – ahead of a ‘surprise' announcement from Apple next week, we speak with The Gadget Guy Mike Yawney to ‘speculate' what may be coming down from the ‘tech giant' – and according to Mike – it may just be a revamp of the ‘budget friendly' – iPhone SE.

As Canadians catch their breath from the threat of tariffs and now 30-day delay, Jeff Mahon, director of geopolitical and international business advisory at StrategyCorp and an executive-in-residence at the Canada West Foundation, joins Evan to bring us the latest on U.S. President Donald Trump's plans.

The latest on Trump tariffs, Trump promising 25 per cent tariff in steel and aluminum GUEST: Gary Mar, CEO of Canada West Foundation, Former trade representative in Ottawa  Pipeline debate: Could Trump threats revive cancelled Canadian pipelines?  GUEST: Cody Battershill, Founder of “Canada Action” that is a pro-oil and gas advocacy group GUEST: Jillian Maguire, Vancouver teacher and climate-change campaigner  Fentanyl life sentence debate: Poilievre promises life sentences for trafficking 40 mg of fentanyl GUEST: Kyla Lee, Lawyer with Acumen Law GUEST: Dr. Christian Leuprecht, Professor at the Royal Military College and Queen's University, Senior Fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, and Author of “Security. Cooperation. Governance.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME TO THE MWSA PODCAST FOR TUESDAY, FEB. 04th   With the threat of 25% Tariffs on American goods ‘off the table' for 30-days – where do we go from here – and what does this mean for Canadian businesses and consumers with a potential ‘trade war' still in the conversation? We get the thoughts of Mercedes Stephenson - Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief & Host of “The West Block”. Next – we continue our ‘tariff talk' with Gary Mar – President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation. We get Mr. Mar's thoughts on why President Trump pushed the ‘pause button' on implementing the Tariffs this week – and what we can do as a country to lessen the impact of a looming ‘trade war' – with our biggest trade partner. And finally - as Valentine's Day approaches, Canadians are celebrating the idea of finding their “perfect match.” But….in this unique case – that ‘match', comes with 4 legs! We speak with Gary Hiney – a Red Deer man suffering from vision loss – about the “Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides”. We hear about the important service they provide – and get details on how YOU can make a difference, and lend a hand to someone in need of a Guide Dog.

It's not just about tariffs. If you examine what the America First advisers around Trump really think, you'll understand their determination to undertake a sweeping overhaul of the global economic system — and why they're starting with Canada. Brian's guests this week, trade researcher Carlo Dade, from the Canada West Foundation, and Ian Lee, public policy professor at Carlton University, have done their homework. That's unlike many of our political leaders, who seem oblivious to the real threats — or who, worse, like certain Liberals, think they can exploit a destructive tariff war for partisan gain. As Ian and Carlo tell Brian, the people around Trump aren't scared of higher import prices, and what they're really interested in from Canada doesn't even seem to be on Ottawa's radar. (Recorded January 24, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time's up for anyone mulling a bid to lead the Liberal Party. With the deadline to enter behind them, candidates have just a few days left to sign up new members, and a little over a month to drum up support. One of the frontrunners joins The House in studio: former finance minister Chrystia Freeland sits down with host Catherine Cullen to make her case for running the countryThen: Ontario Premier Doug Ford has confirmed he'll call a snap election next week and send Ontarians to the polls at the end of February. The Toronto Star's Queen's Park bureau chief discusses whether voters will reward Ford, or if they'll be turned off by the timing.After that, we take a close look at an ongoing economic headache that doesn't involve Donald Trump: trade between provinces. Premiers hope that breaking through interprovincial barriers can in fact better protect against Trump's tariffs. But experts and former officials say getting rid of those barriers is a tall order — and there hasn't been much success in the past.Finally, as several Liberal leadership candidates distance themselves from the carbon tax, and as Donald Trump continues to threaten Canada's economy, do the Conservatives need to shift their campaign focus? Two strategists weigh in on how their party is reacting to recent events.This episode features the voices of:Chrystia Freeland, Liberal leadership candidateRobert Benzie, Queen's Park bureau chief for the Toronto StarPhilippe Couillard, former Quebec premierPerrin Beatty, former federal cabinet ministerCarlo Dade, director of trade infrastructure at the Canada West FoundationChad Rogers, Conservative strategistFred DeLorey, Conservative strategist

For this episode of the Global Exchange podcast, Colin Robertson talks with Hon. Perrin Beatty, Meredith Lilly, and Hon. Gary Mar about Canada-US relations in the wake of the Inauguration and the triumphalist return to presidential power of Donald Trump. // Participants' bios - Perrin Beatty is co-chair of the Carlton and CGAI sponsored Canada-US export group on Canada-Us relations. Most recently, he serves as the President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce - Meredith Lilly is Professor and Simon Reisman Chair at Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. She previously served as International Trade Advisor to Prime Minister Harper - Gary Mar is President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation. A member of the Alberta legislature he held various cabinet portfolios. He later served as Alberta's Representative in Washington and then in Hong Kong and then returned to the private sector // Host bio: Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, www.cgai.ca/colin_robertson // // Reading Recommendations: - "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania", by Erik Larson: https://www.amazon.ca/Dead-Wake-Last-Crossing-Lusitania/dp/0307408876 - "A Gentleman in Moscow": https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8230448/ - "Curse of Politics: The Herle Burly Political Panel": https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/curse-of-politics-the-herle-burly-political-panel/id1579125546 // Recording Date: January 24, 2025.

Danielle Smith charts her own path through choppy waters. Ahead of the first ministers' meeting in Ottawa, the Alberta premier heads to Mar-a-Lago to meet Donald Trump, then refuses to back a united Canadian response to a potential trade war. While Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls for the country to use “every tool in our toolbox" against the proposed American tariffs on Canadian goods, Smith draws a hard line — Alberta won't agree to restrict energy exports. With national unity on the brink, West of Centre host Kathleen Petty dives into the fallout with Heather Exner-Pirot of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Zain Velji of The Strategists podcast, and Gary Mar of the Canada West Foundation.

Colleen Collins, Head of the Canada West Foundation

Brian interviews  Jeff Mahon. Jeff is Director of StrategyCorp's Geopolitical and International Business Advisory. He is also an Executive in Residence at the Canada West Foundation. Prior to this he served as Deputy Director at Global Affairs Canada's China Division, was Nunavut's Chief Negotiator for the Canadian Free Trade Agreement negotiations, and ran his own import and export brokerage company. Jeff Mahon talks about the Canadian economy and several articles he has written about Canada as we are reckoning with big changes in the world. This is important because Canada's economy is dependent on trade and international developments are shaping/limiting options available to us.

Munir Haque is joined by Gary Mar, President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation and former Member of the Legislative Assembly in Alberta from 1993 to 2007. Gary discusses the Canada West Foundation's work and shares with Munir the differences between governmental governance and governance in industry. With his experience across different types of boards, Gary understands what makes a good one and what the purpose of a board truly is.Governance is as good as the people holding board seats, much like the captain of any ship relies on a quality crew to know each of their jobs intimately. The stronger your hiring, the more your board can accomplish, and Gary's experiences highlight this truth. In addition to his knowledge of governance, however, Gary understands the nuance of the natural resources sector as well as oil and gas interests, and the conversation Munir and Gary have is enlightening.  Gary Mar shares an intimate understanding of politics, policy-making, the needs of Western Canada, and trade agreements. His expertise extends into international corporations and he sheds light on how boards function in China and abroad. The needs of a well-functioning board come down to specific personality types and skill sets, and an understanding of the relationship between a CEO and the board is key. Munir avails himself of Gary Mar's experience and knowledge to our benefit in this expansive interview. About Gary MarGary G. Mar is President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, an independent, non-partisan policy organization working to improve the lives of Canadians in the West and the country as a whole.Gary's background in government and business provided him with experience in the Canada West Foundation's primary policy areas of trade and investment, natural resources and human capital. The foundation conducts evidence-based research and analysis to develop policy recommendations in areas such as international trade relationships, trade infrastructure, workforce development and the nexus of energy, environment and the economy.Prior to joining the foundation, Gary served as President and CEO of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada where he represented the service, supply and manufacturing sectors within the upstream petroleum industry. He also had a successful career in government serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Province of Alberta from 1993-2007 and holding several Cabinet portfolios. He then served as the Official Representative of the Province of Alberta at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. and as the Province of Alberta's Representative in Asia.Gary, who has a law degree from the University of Alberta, was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at the institution's School of Business in Marketing, Business Economics and Law and is also Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business. In 2022 he was appointed as a member and chair of the Council of the Alberta Order of Excellence and was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for public service.Resources discussed in this episode:“The Battle of the Billionaires” on YouTube__Contact Munir Haque | ActionEdge Executive Development: Website: AEEDNow.comLinkedin: Action Edge Executive Development Inc.Contact Gary Mar: Website: CWF.caLinkedInPodcast Production:Recording:  PushySix StudiosProduction Assistance: Astronomic Audio--Transcript Gary Mar: [00:00:03] It's a reciprocal obligation to provide to your board what you believe are the best strategies to move forward, but it's also your board's responsibility to bring in their body of experience to instruct the CEO so it really goes both ways. If you've got a good board, there should be no fear at all of the exchange of ideas and instruction.Munir Haque: [00:00:27] Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Boardroom 180 Podcast. I'm your host Munir Haque, an executive coach and senior board strategist. I have partnered with Action Edge Executive Development to lead their governance and political acumen division. In each episode, we meet with governance leaders and step into their boardrooms where decisions shape the world around us. We'll hear the good, the bad and the ugly, but with a keen focus on where the gaps are, discover emerging best practices and real world tools to better evaluate, guide and grow you and your boards.Munir Haque: [00:00:58] Welcome to The Boardroom 180 Podcast. Today we'll be speaking with Gary Mar. Gary is the president and CEO of Canada West Foundation, he's been that since 2020. He's an accomplished and respected leader with the deep knowledge of government and business and expertise in key policy areas of resources, environment and economy, skills, innovation and productivity, trade and trade infrastructure. Previously, Gary served as president and CEO of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada, the national trade association representing the service, supply and manufacturing sector within the upstream petroleum industry. Gary has broad expertise in government, having served as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the Province of Alberta from 1993 to 2007, so about 14 years. During this time, Gary held several cabinet portfolios including community development, health and wellness, education, environment, and international and intergovernmental relations. Gary has also served as the official representative or the Minister Counselor of Alberta at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, and as a Province of Alberta's representative in Asia from 2011 to 2015. After leaving government, Gary was an independent consultant, working with both Chinese and Canadian companies seeking assistance with trans pacific trade and investment. In 2016, he co-founded Canadian Advantage Petroleum Corporation, which successfully purchased heavy oil in Alberta and sold it directly to refineries in China. In 2022, Gary was appointed as a member of the chair of the Council of Alberta Order of Excellence, and was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for public service. Welcome to the podcast there, Gary. Thanks for making the time to be with us today.Gary Mar: [00:02:47] It's my pleasure to be here, Munir. Thank you for having me.Munir Haque: [00:02:50] We were challenged to find time with you. I think, when I first reached out to you, you were on a trip overseas, and so we had to wait for you to get back. But it sounds like you're a very popular guy. The mutual acquaintance that we have that had recommended you for this show, he said that anywhere he goes, you can't go to McDonald's with Gary and not have everybody stop and try to have a conversation with him. A couple weeks back, I ran into an old university colleague at the Global Energy Show here in Calgary, and I hadn't seen him for 14 years. I was mentioning people I was trying to get on the show, and I told him about you. And of course, he had a Gary Mar story...

Jagmeet Singh announces NDP is ending deal with Trudeau Liberals  (1:36) Guest: David Akin, Chief Political Correspondent, Global News NDP ends deal with Trudeau government: Why now for the NDP? (17:35) Guest: Melanie Richer, communications and public affairs principal at Earnscliffe Strategies, former communications director for NDP under Jagmeet Singh NDP ends deal with Trudeau government:: What next for the Liberals? (29:38) Guest: Carlene Variyan, associate vice president, Summa Strategies, former staffer for Liberal Party of Canada Why did Jagmeet Singh choose to throw a political hail mary? (38:09) Guest: David Moscrop, writer and political commentator, author of Too Dumb for Democracy and a Substack newsletter MMMBop: Hanson celebrates 20th anniversary of their first independent album with new tour (54:18) Guest: Taylor Hanson, member of the band Hanson Did the Trudeau government invite China retaliation over EV tariffs? (1:11:20) Guest: Jeff Mahon, director of geopolitical and international business advisory, StrategyCorp, executive-in-residence, Canada West Foundation, formerly Global Affairs Canada's greater China division Journo Corner: Grenfell Tower fire report blames avoidable deaths on incompetence, greed (1:32:54) Guest: Paul Waldie, European correspondent, The Globe and Mail

Gary Mar is president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation and Stephany Laverty is a senior policy analyst at the Canada West Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for tuning into this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Carlo Dade with the Canada West Foundation on Canada facing major trade hurdles; Pam de Rocquigny with the Manitoba Crop Alliance on the organization’s new strategic plan; and, Hear a clip from the Farm Safety Roundup... Read More

Thanks for tuning into this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Carlo Dade with the Canada West Foundation on Canada facing major trade hurdles; Pam de Rocquigny with the Manitoba Crop Alliance on the organization’s new strategic plan; and, Hear a clip from the Farm Safety Roundup... Read More

Thanks for tuning into this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Carlo Dade with the Canada West Foundation and Anthony Rosborough of Dalhousie University on Bill C-294; Jordan Underhill with the Canadian Dairy XPO and being back for another year; Steve Verheul on Canada steering though the muck... Read More

Thanks for tuning into this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Carlo Dade with the Canada West Foundation and Anthony Rosborough of Dalhousie University on Bill C-294; Jordan Underhill with the Canadian Dairy XPO and being back for another year; Steve Verheul on Canada steering though the muck... Read More

Todd Hirsch is the "modern economist." In this episode of "Leadership NOW," he delves into the challenges of economic forecasting in today's unpredictable global environment. He discusses the limitations of traditional methods in accurately predicting economic trends amidst frequent, unforeseen 'black swan' events. Todd advocates for a shift from prediction to preparation, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and readiness for various potential outcomes. Our conversation further explores the impact of geopolitical events and environmental crises on the economy. Todd highlights how incidents like Russia's invasion of Ukraine and severe weather events directly affect economic conditions worldwide. He also addresses the erosion of public trust in economic expertise, noting the growing skepticism towards expert advice, especially during periods of economic uncertainty. Throughout the dialogue, Todd's insights illuminate the interconnected nature of global events and economics, stressing the need for leaders to be cognizant of a wide range of external factors that can abruptly shift economic landscapes. For more than 25 years, Todd worked as an economist for such renowned institutes as ATB Financial, the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Canada West Foundation, and the Bank of Canada. Having had a front-row seat to the key issues and trends impacting and transforming our world, Hirsch delivers dynamic, clear-eyed talks on the economy, adaptability, and creativity. Hirsch served as the vice president and chief economist for ATB Financial for over 15 years. He also previously taught economics at the University of Calgary and for the executive education program at the University of Alberta. In recognition of his work, Hirsch has received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum (2022) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee Medals, the University of Alberta's Alumni Honour Award, and an honorary degree from Mount Royal University. The author of four books, Hirsch's latest, Spiders in COVID Space: Adapting During and After the Pandemic, captures the inspiring and compelling stories of businesses and not-for-profits that reinvented themselves during the pandemic. He is currently the Director of the Energy Transition Centre at Innovate Calgary. Visit him at www.toddhirsch.com

Sean Fraser, Housing Minister, Avery Shefeld, CIBC Capital Markets, Jean-Francois Perrault, Scotiabank, Jimmy Jean, Desjardins group, Elliot Hughes, Summa Strategies, Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation, Anne McGrath, NDP National Director, Laura Stone, the Globe and Mail,

On this episode of the Energy Security Cubed Podcast, Kelly Ogle and Joe Calnan discuss current events in energy security, including the Canadian government's fossil fuel subsidy phase-out, tension in the Persian Gulf, and the importance of minor metals. For the interview section of the podcast, Kelly talks with Marla Orenstein and Brendan Cooke of the Canada West Foundation about their recent report, "Electricity Systems Across Western Canada: A Landscape Analysis". You can find the report here: https://cwf.ca/research/publications/report-electricity-systems-across-western-canada/ Guest Bios: - Marla Orenstein is Director of the Natural Resources Centre at the Canada West Foundation - Brendan Cooke is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Canada West Foundation Host Bio: - Kelly Ogle is the CEO of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute Reading Recommendations - "Demon Copperhead" by Barbary Kingsolver: https://www.amazon.ca/Demon-Copperhead-Novel-Barbara-Kingsolver/dp/0063251922 - "The Republic Of Pirates", by Colin Woodard: https://www.amazon.ca/Republic-Pirates-Surprising-Caribbean-Brought/dp/015603462X Interview recording Date: July 18, 2023 Energy Security Cubed is part of the CGAI Podcast Network. Follow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute on Facebook, Twitter (@CAGlobalAffairs), or on LinkedIn. Head over to our website at www.cgai.ca for more commentary. Produced by Joe Calnan. Music credits to Drew Phillips.

To address climate change, we must be united, working together towards a common goal. But differing perspectives have created a complex and polarized debate: renewable energy versus fossil fuel versus nuclear power. These discussions require an open mind and constructive dialogue to find solutions that work for all stakeholders. In thinkenergy episode 106, Dr. Monica Gattinger, li, unpacks how we can build a stronger way forward for Canada – together. Related links Positive Energy: https://www.uottawa.ca/research-innovation/positive-energy  Positive Energy, Twitter: https://twitter.com/uOttawa_Energy  The Institute for Science, Society and Policy: https://www.uottawa.ca/research-innovation/issp  The Institute for Science, Society and Policy, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-science-society-and-policy/  Monica Gattinger, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-gattinger-748a6a42/  Monica Gattinger, Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonicaGattinger To subscribe using Apple Podcasts   To subscribe using Spotify   To subscribe on Libsyn --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video on YouTube   Check out our cool pics on Instagram   More to Learn on Facebook   Keep up with the Tweets   ------------------------------ Transcript: Dan Seguin  00:06 This is thinkenergy. The podcast that helps you better understand the fast changing world of energy through conversations with game changers, industry leaders, and influencers. So join me, Dan Seguin, as I explore both traditional and unconventional facets of the energy industry,   Dan Seguin  00:28 Everyone, welcome back. Energy and climate change are important topics that have been increasingly discussed in recent years due to the significant impact they have on the environment, the economy, and society as a whole. The effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and loss of biodiversity are widely recognized by the scientific community. However, there are different views on the best ways to address these issues, particularly in terms of energy policy, and the way we live, work, consume and travel. While some advocate for the transition to renewable energy sources, others still argue for the continued use of fossil fuels or the development of other technologies such as nuclear energy.   Dan Seguin  01:27 These differing perspectives have created a complex and often polarized debate. It is important to approach these discussions with an open mind, consider the evidence and engage in constructive dialogue to find common ground and solutions that work for all stakeholders. We've often heard that working together and respecting different opinions are essential for effective collaboration and innovation. For climate change, it's more important than ever, that we come together to work towards a common goal. So here is today's big question. When it comes to energy, and climate, are we able to consider diverse perspectives so we can identify blind spots, and challenge assumptions that will ultimately lead to a stronger way forward for Canada. Today, my special guest is Dr. Monica Gattinger. She's the director of the Institute for Science, Society and Policy. She's a full professor at the School of Political Studies and founder Chair of Positive Energy at the University of Ottawa. Monica, welcome to the show. Now, perhaps you can start by telling our listeners a bit about yourself, and how the positive energy program that you found it at the University of Ottawa came to be?   Monica Gattinger  02:55 Thanks, happy to. I'm a professor at the University of Ottawa. And I've been a student of energy, Dan it kind of pains me to say it, for but going on three decades now. And I guess about maybe 10 years ago or so around 2014-2015, you might remember at that time, there was a lot of contentiousness in the energy sector, particularly around pipeline development. And I think, you know, I felt a certain frustration that I'd go to energy conferences, and we'd all kind of get concerned about this. And, you know, I don't know, throw our hands up in the air, but what was happening, and then walk away, come back at the next conference to do the same thing. So the idea that I had was to create an initiative that would convene leaders who were concerned about these issues of public confidence and energy decision making, convening them together to try to identify what some of the key challenges are. And then I would undertake a research team, some solution focused, applied academic research to actually feed that process on an ongoing basis. So it's, you know, not just conferences, we walk away conferences, we walk away, it's, let's put in place a process to actually excuse me to actually get to some solution seeking on the challenges.   Dan Seguin  04:11 Okay, now, I have to ask you, because I love the name, given how polarizing energy has been for a number of years now, is the name meant to have a double meaning?   Monica Gattinger  04:20 Yes, it is. You are exactly right. That was you know, at the time when we created that name, that was precisely what we were trying to do, which is let's have some positive discussions about energy. I think the other thing I'd point to is, you know, for us, and it's always been the case that energy is all energy. So yes, at the time when we created positive energy, you know, what was in the news was big pipelines. But many of these issues and the challenges that we address with our work, apply to all energy sources, whether it's, you know, electricity, oil and gas at the upstream downstream, midstream sectors, so we really wanted to try to foster a pan Canadian approach on on the issues with energy as the core.   Dan Seguin  05:10 Monica, in one of your research reports, you acknowledge that division is eroding public trust and preventing progress. Why is that happening? Is it a lack of understanding around climate change and Canada's goals? Or is it more about the method or policies in place to get there?   Monica Gattinger  05:32 That's a super important question, Dan. And it's really at the heart of what we're aiming to do with positive energy. So if you look at where we're at now, on energy and climate, there's, you know, a tremendous global move towards net zero. And, of course, this is going to mean just a wholesale transformation of our energy systems and broader economy. So, you know, there are bound to be disagreements of division over how we go about doing that. And I think, you know, one of the crucial things about this energy transition in comparison to previous energy transitions, is that it's going to be largely policy driven, like, yes, there will be market developments, but policy is going to be playing such an important role. So to your question, you know, a lot of this is around the methods or the policies that we're going to be putting in place when it comes to energy transition. And I think our work really starts from the, you know, the very strong belief that if we don't have public confidence in government decision making over energy and climate, we're not going to be able to make ongoing forward progress on either energy or, or climate objectives. And for us, public confidence is, you know, the confidence of people, whether as citizens, as consumers as community members, but it's also the confidence of investors, right, we know that we're going to need a tremendous amount of new energy infrastructure, without the investor confidence to make that happen, we're not going to be able to to, you know, achieve the emissions reductions that are envisioned envisaged. So for us that whole question of division, and how do we address division, where it exists, is just fundamental to our efforts.   Dan Seguin  07:17 Okay. Now, do you think we lack a shared positive vision as Canadians on the future? And how we get there together? How do we build bridges? Is this what you're trying to achieve with positive energy?   Monica Gattinger  07:32 Yeah, I'd say yes or no, on the shared vision. So you know, we do a lot of public opinion, polling researchers, as you might know, Dan, and and, you know, uniformly Canadian scores, government's very poorly, on whether they are succeeding and developing a shared vision for Canada's energy future. That said, you know, I don't see it all as a whole bad news, there is remarkable alignment of views among Canadians on many aspects of the country's energy future, I think sometimes what, what we tend to hear, you know, are the voices in political debates and in the media, and in the end in the media, that are on you know, sort of opposite ends of a spectrum, if you look at, you know, sort of where Canadians are at, in general, you know, in terms of the majority opinions, they're often much more aligned than what you might think, by listening to some of our political debates or reading the media. So I think what we're trying to do at positive energies is a few things. One is, you know, to really try to see just how divided we are, and a lot of our work has brought forward that we're not as divided as we might think, on some of these issues. And the second thing we're trying to do is provide a forum for people who do want to work constructively and positively to chart a positive path forward, provide that forum for those to do that, and then to undertake academic research to support that. And one of the things that we found is that there's just a tremendous appetite for that kind of initiative.   Dan Seguin  09:05 Okay, Monica, hoping you can shed some light on this next item. What do you mean, when you see that Canada is at a log jam when it comes to charting our energy future?   Monica Gattinger  09:19 That's a great question. Because, you know, when I think about when we wrote that, that was a few that were written a few years ago. So it kind of answers that question a little bit differently now than I would have if you'd asked it at the time that we wrote it. So if you think about it, cast your mind back to 2015. And the creation between the federal government and the provinces of the pan Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change, there was a lot of alignment between the federal government and provinces and territories around climate change. And then we had some electoral turnover and new governments coming into power at the provincial level and the round sort of the 2018 period and that relative peace between federal and provincial governments began to be overturned. And so that, you know, the log jam that we were referring to was really written at that period of time, we were seeing a lot of fractiousness between the federal government and provincial governments. And don't get me wrong, we still see, we still see some of that, but certainly not to the level we did at that time. So I think it over the last few years, we've seen much greater alignment emerge in the country, notably around the concept of net zero, which we think is really, really, really constructive progress. I think, where we see some of the challenges now is moving to implementation, right? How do we move to reduce emissions and actually roll up our sleeves and do it in a way that will build and maintain public confidence? That's, you know, that's very much where we're casting our efforts these days.   Dan Seguin  10:50 Okay, cool. And what are some of the weaknesses you found in energy decision making?   Monica Gattinger  10:56 So I think there are a few that I would point to, you know, one would be and our current work is zeroing in on this more than we have in the past, is the whole question of energy security. And by that what, what we're referring to is the reliability and affordability and availability of energy. So in the absence, I mean, Dan, you know, you work at hydro Ottawa, so you would know, when you know, when the lights go out. People are nervous, it really captures their attention. I'll put it that way. And so in the absence of, you know, reliable, affordable energy, it's going to be very difficult to make ongoing progress on emissions reductions. So that whole question of energy security is one of the what I'd say is sort of the weaknesses in the frame that policymakers are often bringing to, to energy decision making, I think a second area that really is going to need some attention is our policy and regulatory frameworks for energy project decision making. I mean, we know, let's say, you know, take electrification, if we're going to be moving forward on electrification in a meaningful way. Most reasonable estimates assume we're going to need to double or triple our generating capacity in the country, and all the infrastructure transmission, local distribution, all that goes along with that, that's going to require building a whole lot of infrastructure. And so there's definitely some weaknesses there in our existing frameworks for doing that. And then the third area I'd point to is collaboration between governments. And so yes, federal and provincial, but it's also increasingly, municipal governments as well need to be collaborating with other levels of government and indigenous governments too, so bringing together that collaboration across jurisdictions is an area where there's a lot of a lot of strength that we're going to need to be building.   Dan Seguin  12:47 Okay, Monica, following up on this theme, positive energy has conducted a number of public opinion surveys since 2015, to gauge Canadian support for the country's climate commitments and their views on our international credibility. What are some surprises? And have you seen any change in attitudes since you started the surveys?   Monica Gattinger  13:11 Yeah, we've done a lot of work. We have a fantastic partnership with Nanos research, we've been working with Nick Nanos and the Nanos team since 2015, we've done lots of public opinion polling along the way. And so I think, you know, one of the things that has surprised me the most about this, and maybe it's just my own naivete as as a, you know, an academic researcher, but is just the pragmatism of Canadians, you know, many of the questions that we put to Canadians come back with very pragmatic and balanced responses. So there seems to be that recognition on the part of, of Canadians of the need to take a balanced approach to energy and climate issues. So I'll give you just a couple of quick examples. So we've been tracking Canadians level of climate ambition, we started doing this actually, during the pandemic. And so we asked people on a scale of zero to 10, where zero is now the worst time and 10 is the best time to take action on climate, you know, what, what, how would you score things? And, you know, the majority of Canadians, you know, score things strongly, they want to see climate action. We've seen some weakening of that, notably, as we've got some weakening of the economic conditions that has weakened people's appetite. So that's sort of one thing we, you know, Canadians want climate action. On the second. Second thing I'd point to is, we've done a lot of tracking as well, around Canadians views on the importance of oil and gas to Canada's current economy and to its future economy. And so, you know, there again, we see what you might expect, which is people there's a recognition that oil and gas is important to Canada's current economy. Views tend to drop off a little bit in terms of its importance to the future economy, but much stronger than I would have anticipated in terms of the level of, you know, opinions when it comes to the strength, or when it comes to the importance, apologies of oil and gas and Canada's current and future economy. One thing I'm just going to, you know, like heads up, we've got a study coming out very shortly. And we've seen a jump in Canadians' views around the importance of oil and gas to the country's current and future economy. And we're thinking that this might be because of economic conditions having changed, you know, the war, Russia's war in Ukraine, just creating a different kind of an environment for Canadians opinions, then the last thing I point to that, for me is kind of been surprising, but in a not always fun way is that we've also been tracking Canadians views on government's performance on energy and climate issues. And then it doesn't matter what aspect of government performance we ask people about, they always score it like so weak, like weak to the point, when we first asked this question, I'm like, Nick, do people you know, just kind of score governments weekly? And so this is just, you know, typical stuff. He's like, No, Monica, that's really low scores. So I think there's a recognition there on the part of Canadians that governments have a lot of work to do, that this is difficult stuff, to to to take on. But that we're going to need to if we're going to be able to achieve some of our climate ambition in the country.   Dan Seguin  16:27 Now, let's dig into the research. First, can you tell us who you're convening and bringing together to conduct your research and who your intended audience is? Who do you want to influence?    Monica Gattinger  16:42 Yeah, so we're bringing together leaders, from business, from government and from government, we're referring to both policymakers and regulatory agencies, leaders from indigenous organizations, from civil society organizations, like environmental NGOs, and then academics, like myself. And our aim is really with the research and convening that we're undertaking is to inform decision making, you know, so the key audience for this from our perspective as government decision makers, whether policymakers or regulators at, you know, at at any level of government, really, more broadly, in our we're working very closely with the energy and climate community at large. So our intended audience isn't, you know, sort of the general public per se, although I like to think that we're sort of working on their behalf in terms of a lot of the work, a lot of the work that we're doing   Dan Seguin  17:37 Great stuff, Monica, now, let's talk about your first multi year research phase, public confidence in energy decision making. Why is it important to start here?   Monica Gattinger  17:49 Yeah, for us, this was really crucial to try to dig into and understand why we are facing these challenges to public confidence in decision making, for energy and climate issues. And, you know, believe it or not, we spent about two years trying to dig into that problem and identify all of its different, all of its different components. So we published a study in that first phase of research called system under stress, where we were focusing on energy decision making, and the need to inform, sorry, to reform energy decision making in that study, and this was sort of how we unpack this challenge of public confidence. We use this metaphor of elephants, horses, and sitting ducks. And so the elephants were elephants in the room. So at that time, one of the big issues that was, you know, informing or leading to challenges in public confidence was that there was a belief on the part of quite a few folks that governments were taking insufficient action on climate change. And as a result of that, not having a forum, you know, to move forward action on climate change, many folks who were concerned about that or raising those issues in regulatory processes for individual energy projects, right? And if your regulators say, well, that's not part of my mandate. So what would we do with this, and that led to some challenges. Another Elephant, you know, another elephant in the room at that time was reconciliation with indigenous peoples, that there was insufficient action on the part, you know, on the, you know, in the minds of many around reconciliation with indigenous peoples and so, you know, some of the big challenges that indigenous communities were facing, whether missing, murdered indigenous women, you know, potable drinking water, economic conditions, a whole host of challenges were also being raised in the context of individual energy project decision making. The process for lack of other forums to take those concerns to another elephant in the room was cumulative effects. Right. So communities were concerned not necessarily about a particular project, but about the project that came before the project, who was going to come after it, and what would be the cumulative effects on their community. So that was sort of the elephant, the elephant in the room policy gaps, basically, that governments needed to take more action to fulfill. When it came to the horses, we were referring to horses that had left the barn. So in other words, changes in society and the broader, you know, context, where you're not going to turn the clock back on them. So things like, you know, people expect, rightly, to have a say, in decisions that affect them. They're not different, you know, they don't defer the way they used to, to governments and to decision makers, they expect to have a say in decisions that affect them. And some of our decision making processes weren't frankly, providing sufficient opportunities for them to be heard. Technological change, right, you know, you're not going to turn the clock back on social media. And that also has fundamentally changed the context in terms of how information circulates capacities for misinformation, disinformation, etc. And so when against this backdrop, you know, who are the sitting ducks? Well, the sitting ducks are government decision makers, right? They're trying to deal with all of these challenges. We got a lot of traction with that report, Dan, because I think it sort of helped people to, you know, frame up, what is the nature of the challenge that we're facing when it comes to public confidence, which of course, then begins to open up solution spaces?   Dan Seguin  21:40 Okay. What did you uncover when it came to the role of local communities?   Monica Gattinger  21:46 Yeah, we did a major study on this, it was some of this was happening concurrently. But we did a major study in collaboration with the Canada West Foundation, where we did some very deep dive case study research on half a dozen energy projects across the country with the aim of identifying drivers of local community satisfaction or dissatisfaction with energy project, decision making processes. So these were projects, you know, wind, gas plants, hydro facilities, transmission lines, pipelines, shale development, like a whole variety of different kinds of projects in different locations across the country. And so there are a few things I'd point to there in terms of some of the key findings. Probably the first and foremost is the importance of early and meaningful consultation and engagement. And I feel kind of silly saying that, because it's like, we have been saying this for years, how important this is. But yet, you know, there are still proponents that aren't necessarily, you know, aren't necessarily getting out there early and in a meaningful way, to communities. I think the second thing, and it's related, that I'd point to is the importance of information, like yes, communities want information about a project. But it's an what we refer to in the report is a necessary but insufficient condition, right, just saying, you know, here's the project, here's the information, this should change your mind, if you've got any concerns, really and truly is not is not enough, you need that meaningful engagement, you need to hear from people. And in some instances, this is a third thing I'd point to. In some instances, you know, it's important to draw the distinction between what a community's interests are so it could be, you know, economic development, jobs, etc, but also what their values are. And there may be some projects that even though they might advance the community's interests, in terms of jobs, etc, if they run counter to community values, and what they want to see developed in their community, it will be very challenging to foster support for up for a project. Another thing, we found just a couple more things that point to here. Another thing we found that I think is going to be increasingly important as we move on net zero and emissions reductions, oftentimes at the community level, the key environmental issue is local environmental impacts, as opposed to global climate change impacts. So even if you've got a project that's going to be good for the climate, if it's got local environmental impacts from the perspective of a community, those concerns may actually trump the good that could be done more broadly when it comes to the climate. And so I guess the last thing I'd point to is, you know, just the importance of process, having a decision making process in which people can have faith. And so, you know, we did a lot of work right in communities. So you'd have community members say, like, I can get behind a decision that I don't agree with, you know, if my perspective is at the end of the day, we're heard in a meaningful way and were considered in a meaningful way. But governments decided to go in a different direction. I can, you know, I can live with that as long as I felt that the process was one that was legitimate. So that process piece is so important at the community level.   Dan Seguin  25:02 Okay, now, what were some of the biggest takeaways from your project? Monica? Were you surprised by any of the data?   Monica Gattinger  25:09 Yeah, I think, you know, for me, I probably go back to the local versus global impacts piece, I think that is a circle, we're gonna have to figure out how to square for lack of a better a better metaphor here going forward, because many of the projects that we're going to need in the years ahead in terms of emissions reductions, they are going to have local environmental impacts. You know, and it doesn't take long to think about examples of that, right. So think about mining for critical minerals, think about transmission infrastructure, think I mean, on and on and on. And so thinking through how do we, you know, be respectful of local communities ensure we've got processes in place that that they can have faith in and ensure that local environmental impacts are mitigated in a meaningful fashion? And frankly, no has to be an option sometimes, right? There are some projects that have to receive a no of all projects are greenlighted, that puts the entire system into question in people's minds.   Dan Seguin  26:15 Okay, Monica, your second research phase just concluded Canada's energy future in an age of climate change. What challenges and opportunities were you focused on? And what did you uncover?   Monica Gattinger  26:28 That's a big question, Dan. So maybe just a couple of things I'll point to. The first is to say that, you know, for that particular project, because it was or that phase because it got underway at a time where there was quite a lot of fractiousness between the federal and provincial governments. We took on the topic of polarization, in that phase of the research to try to understand, you know, just how polarized are we, when it comes to energy and climate issues? And, and the, you know, the, the, the fortunate answer was that we're not as polarized as we might think, on some of these issues. So those areas where, you know, people's opinions are truly at opposite ends of a spectrum, they've got their heels dug in, the opinions are very hardened and crystallized, they're not willing to move, you know, there's, those are very few and far between a lot more of the division that we see back to that word division that we talked about earlier, Dan, it so those are opinions that are maybe a little bit more malleable to change, where you can potentially bring people together and have a constructive, constructive conversation to move things forward. So that the polarization, the polarization work, I think was really important to try to, you know, shine a light empirically on just how polarized are we, one thing that did come out of that work, though, that I think is really important to note is that a lot of the polarization that we see is along partisan lines. And so it's really important to have and create non-partisan forums for people to come together because partisan polarization on energy and climate issues can be quite challenging. So we looked at polarization, we also looked at, we continued our work around sort of roles and responsibilities of different government authorities in energy and climate decision making, we did a really big project around energy regulators with, you know, again, thinking about how important they are going to be in the future when it comes to energy project proposals and evaluating energy project proposals. And I think, you know, what came out of that work is just the importance of creating regulatory frameworks that are functional, right, they're going to enable us to get to a decision. But that is adaptable. You know, we know there are going to be new energy sources, new technologies we're going to need to be adapting our frameworks over time. And that are, you know, absolutely this crucial element and of legitimate that they are that people have confidence in those decision making processes. But it's not just about regulators. It's also about the broader policy context within which they work, you know, the need for regulatory agencies to be operating in the context of clear policy frameworks. You know, for there to be a good understanding between policymakers and regulators they have their respective roles when it comes to things like energy project, energy project approvals. The third area that we focused on in this most recent phase of research was models of and limits to consensus building, right. So if we do have division, how do we try to foster consensus and we recognize we're not going to get to you know, everybody holding hands and singing Kumbaya there. This is politics, there will be, there will be divisions. But we did a lot of work on this whole concept of what are some of the models that can be utilized to foster consensus? What are some of the limits to those models? And the sort of bottom line of that research is that progress is possible when it comes to consensus building, but it's not easy. It's a hard one, it takes time, it takes a lot of thoughtful preparation and care to put in place processes that will drive towards positive outcomes.   Dan Seguin  30:32 Okay. Now, there were five case studies that came out of this phase intended to identify what works when it comes to public confidence in decision making. What are some of the highlights?   Monica Gattinger  30:44 Yeah, and this kind of picks up on the question of consensus building and models of and limits to consensus building. So we undertook a number of case studies of different initiatives that have been tried in Canada to try to foster consensus. So we looked, for example, at the Alberta climate leadership plan, we looked at the Eco fiscal commission, we looked at the National roundtable on the environment of the economy, we looked at the just transition Task Force on the coal fired power phase out. So this was a mixture of federal provincial, government, non government, current past initiatives. And there are a few things that I point to that, you know, came out of that work. The first is that there are no silver bullets. I mean, Boy, wouldn't it be nice if there were easy answers to these really tough questions, but there are not easy answers to these really tough questions. They, you know, it really is important to, to have kind of a multi pronged approach. And more than one approach, there isn't going to be one single initiative that's going to solve all of these challenges. But process matters process really matters. So who is involved? How are decisions taken? You know, is the process seen as legitimate? That's really, you know, absolutely the place to start with any of these processes around consensus building. Again, information is a necessary but insufficient condition, right. So you can have in place a process that is designed to, you know, bring forward recommendations to the government on policy. But if people don't have trust in the information that's produced by that initiative, you've got a problem, right? So I think the Eco fiscal commission was really interesting in that, in that case, because it brought together an advisory board, that included representation from a variety of different political parties, the aim being to see if these folks can come together, and you know, work together and have confidence in this process, then others are more likely to have confidence in the information that's produced on the studies that are produced by by in that case, the ecofiscal, commission, there are a lot of relationships between different processes. So for example, you know, if you think about the development of a carbon price in Canada, you know, yes, that's where the Eco fiscal commission was focusing a lot of its efforts. But the Alberta climate leadership plan, in part paved the way towards the development of a federal price on carbon, because of the work that was done in the province to put in place a carbon pricing a carbon pricing scheme. And then the final thing, and this isn't something that people always like to hear, unfortunately, is that building consensus takes time. And it's something that is, as we know, in the current context with, you know, with climate change is something that we don't necessarily have the luxury of having. So it's how do you sort of hold those two things in your hand at the same time, and I often use the example of a carbon tax, having a carbon tax in Canada is a massive achievement for the country. But it took probably a decade or more to get there. And that's only one small in the big scheme of things policy tool. So you know, no silver bullets. It takes time, but it is possible. So progress is possible, but it's hard won.   Dan Seguin  34:12 Okay, now, this was fascinating. Monica, you identified two realities of energy and environmental leaders in Canada, when it comes to Canada's energy transition. Maybe you can unpack that for us just a bit more.   Monica Gattinger  34:29 Yeah, for sure. So this was a really, really neat study, one of the things that we found in our work, because we convene when we are, you know, very close to a lot of energy and environmental leaders. One of the things that we were finding is that this word transition could have elements to it that were kind of polarizing. And so for some folks, it was something that actually drove them away from our table rather than bringing them to our table. So being academics, we thought, well, let's do a study on this. What do people think transition is? What does it mean to them? Why are we running into these issues? And I have to credit our former Research Director, Dr. Marissa Beck, this was her idea, it was her study, she did an absolutely tremendous job. So she went out there and spoke with over 40 energy and environmental leaders across the country. And, and what, you know, what emerged from that work was that there were really two different realities that people inhabited, either, you know, sort of in whole, or in part, when it comes to transition. And we didn't name the realities, we just stated them, you know, in a very, in a very sort of fact based way. And they differed in terms of scope, and pace of change. And, you know, so in one of the realities, you know, the, the idea is that we're going to have a more measured pace of change, it's going to be driven by market developments, some policy developments, we're going to in the future have, you know, a diverse energy portfolio that's going to include, you know, a variety of different energy sources, yes, in different proportions than we currently have them. But you know, that oil and gas, for instance, is going to be a part of the future. So that's sort of one reality, the other reality grounded in a much more, you know, ambitious, rapid, need for change, quickly grounded in science, much stronger role for government in terms of setting out the policy framework, much greater attention to the need to, notably to phase down oil and gas and in particular oil. And so you can imagine if you've got folks inhabiting these different realities, it is difficult for them to come together, because they're often talking past. They're often talking past one another. And, and so we didn't necessarily have any solutions for this proposed in that particular, in that particular study. I think our work really does try to do some convening around those issues. But what it really did in this particular study resonated so well, with folks in the Energy and Environment communities, we had people saying, like you just nailed it. Yes, that is exactly what is happening right now. And so you would have folks say, you know, well, the reality is, or we just need an honest conversation. But what the reality meant to them, what an honest conversation would mean to them was, was something completely different than folks inhabiting the other reality. And so these are the kinds of challenges, you know, Dan, that we, we hope to shed light on with our work. And we also hope to also address the research and convening as well.   Dan Seguin  37:50 Now, your third phase has just begun. What can you tell us so far, about strengthening public confidence on the road to net zero and the areas you're looking to cover in your research over the next several years?   Monica Gattinger  38:07 Yeah, no, that's a great opportunity to share this with you, Dan. Thanks. Thanks so much. So yeah, I mean, if our first phase was focused on public confidence, and kind of the here and now, second phase was Canada's energy future in an age of climate change, this phase is the longest term, longest term phase yet in terms of looking at net zero. And looking at 2050. We've got four areas that we're focusing in on in terms of this research, that really build in many ways on the work that we've done to date, we've been talking so far data about the importance of regulation, and having energy project decision making systems that are going to foster and support the kind of change to our energy systems that we're going to need. That's a big, a big area for us, one of the areas as well, that we're going to start to be getting into an in a more meaningful way, is downstream regulation as well, because with the, you know, with the growing attention to electrification, this is going to mean, you know, greater focus to what are our regulatory frameworks for energy delivery, whether it's in power markets, or in gas markets. And we think that there's, there's something that we will have to offer there as well, in terms of our work. So that's on the regulatory front. Another topic that for us, we think is really important is this whole question of energy security. And by that, you know, again, this isn't just about what's happening in global energy markets, it's what's happening domestically as well in terms of the need of the need to have reliable and affordable energy to ensure that we don't, you know, take one step forward and then two steps back on emissions reductions. So it's really very much about solving for Yes, emissions reductions and affordable reliable energy simultaneously, which in our observation is something that you know, has has not always been on the radar of policymakers, I think the energy system has just done such a great job of providing reliable, affordable energy that it's not always thought about. And yet, you know, if we're going to be transforming our energy systems, it better be front and center. Or we could really run into some challenges in terms of public confidence on the road ahead. The third area we're zeroing in on is intergovernmental collaboration. We are a federation, we are a federation with increasing roles and authority for indigenous governments, as well. So it's really about how do we make sure we've got good collaboration between federal, provincial, territorial, indigenous and municipal governments on the road ahead. And again, it's that kind of collaboration, collaboration piece. And then finally, we're going to continue with the public opinion survey research. And that work generally aims to support the other streams of research. So we're asking questions that relate to some of the broader work that we're doing. Cool. Okay.   Dan Seguin  41:07 I know you're going to tell me it's early Monica, but based on what the data and public service have shown over these many years, is Net Zero. resonating with people?   Monica Gattinger  41:19 Well, interestingly, so last June, we held a conference to mark the, you know, the conclusion of phase two and the launch of phase three. And we did some public opinion survey research going into that conference, including some questions around net zero. So we asked people if they had heard about net zero. And then we asked them, you know, the dreaded open ended question, and what does it mean to you? So it's one thing to have heard about, it's another thing to, you know, be asked to define it. And I was really surprised at like, the majority, like a strong majority of people had heard of net zero. And when asked to define it provided a definition that was pretty on target. So people, you know, I don't know if that means it's resonating with people. But they have definitely absorbed that this concept, and that this is something that, you know, is in policymakers is in policymakers minds. I think the other thing I would note, though, is you know, there's netzero, and then there's just emissions reductions writ large, the work that we've done around Canadian support for emissions reductions, climate change, policy, etc, shows just time and again, Canadians want to see this, they want to see emissions reductions, they want to see it done in a balanced way back to the pragmatic response I was giving earlier. But they're definitely, definitely committed to that.   Dan Seguin  42:43 Okay, now, when do you expect your first publication will be shared?   Monica Gattinger  42:47 So we've got our quarterly public opinion surveys that come out every few months. We actually have some, we're just finalizing a study right now that will be published very, very shortly. In terms of the research publications, we've got two underway right now, that should be published within the next number of months. One is looking at regulation for project decision making, and in particular, this whole question of timelines. So if you talk with folks, you know, in industry and in government, right now, they'll say, Well, we got to build all this stuff. But can we build it fast enough? And so that's actually the title of the project? Can we build it out fast enough? And we're focusing on what are some of the issues when it comes to regulatory frameworks for project decision making. So that's one study that should be coming out within the next few months. And then a second one, it's republication of a study that we completed for the Canadian Gas Association, electricity Canada and Natural Resources Canada, but this time last year, which was looking at regulation of energy delivery systems and power and gas markets, you're looking at international case studies to try to identify like, how are other countries grappling with the challenges of netzero in their power and gas markets. So we're going to be updating and republishing that study. We're in the process of doing that right now, that should be coming out in the next few months. And the case studies that we're looking at in that research are Western Australia, the United Kingdom, which as you might imagine, is a very interesting case study given the challenges that they've had on their power and gas markets. And New York State.   Dan Seguin  44:25 Just wondering here, is there anything you can tell us about your appointment to the province's New Energy Transition panel, its objectives and how you feel this could move the energy conversation forward in Ontario.   Monica Gattinger  44:39 Thanks for the question. I mean, I'm, you know, let's be honest, I'm an energy geek. And so it is just an unbelievable honor to have been appointed to the panel. This for me, is a dream appointment. I'm just so so so enthused about it. I'm not going to be able to speak on behalf of the panel. It's too Early in our work, but I will just share, you know, in my personal capacity now that I think the panel does have the capacity or the potential to be really quite important to the province's energy future. So if you think about, you know, the research that we've been doing at positive energy, the importance of informed decision making on the part of governments to recognize all of the strengths, limitations, consequences, intended or otherwise, of their decisions on energy and climate. So the panel, I think, has a great opportunity to help inform decision making. But as I've said, on a couple of occasions, today, information is a necessary but insufficient condition, right process matters. And, you know, the panel, again, has the potential to be a very important process in terms of its engagement, and meaningful engagement with stakeholders, with indigenous partners, with all those who are interested in the province's energy future. So, you know, a couple of just additional things I would say. One is that the panel's focus in its mandate on long term energy planning, I think, I think is very important, because we're gonna need to plan and think through the long term more than we ever have before in terms of our energy systems when it comes to emissions reductions. I think the other thing, you know, I would lastly, but not leastly, I would recognize, you know, the importance of affordability and reliability. You know, yes, undertaking emissions reductions, but ensuring it's done in a reliable and affordable way. That enables, you know, economic competitiveness and the like. And that's something that, you know, that this government, the Ontario government, brings to the table, which I think is extremely important and will be crucial for the future.   Dan Seguin  46:53 Okay, Monica. Now, if you could speak to everyone in Canada, what would you want people to know, that you think is not widely known? Or understood?   Monica Gattinger  47:06 Yeah, there are a few things I would point to there. I think one would be the scale of the transformation that we're contemplating with netzero. I mean, if you take electrification, just as an example, you know, about only about 20% of and use energy, I mean, I'm telling you this, Dan, you know, all this stuff, but only about 20%. The venue's energy, you know, is currently accounted for by electricity. If we're looking to scale that up, you know, depending on what model you look at, but let's say you're looking to scale that up to you know, 80%, that's four times what it where it currently stands, this is a massive, massive transformation of our energy systems and broader economy. And I think that's one area where, you know, there isn't necessarily as much understanding as there could be in terms of the scale. Like, the second thing that I would love to get out there is that, you know, there's often a view that industry is, you know, dragging its heels, it's, you know, putting in place roadblocks, it's acting as a barrier. That's not what I see, in our engagements with folks in industry across the country, and a whole variety of different energy, different segments of the energy sector. Industry is there. What, you know, the real challenge now is kind of how do we move from the what, to the how, and foster an environment that will foster the kind of change that the companies are really looking to make. And then the third area that I would point to is reconciliation with indigenous peoples. We haven't spoken about that too much this morning. But that's one of the areas over the last number of years where there has just been such a fundamental change in the way industry, and indigenous communities and governments are working together. I think what we often see in you know, in the newspapers in the media is instances of conflict, you know, for obvious reasons, that's, that's, you know, what the media is going to be drawn to, but there are so many examples of just unbelievably constructive, meaningful partnerships between indigenous communities and industry. And I think that's something that you know, that that really is, is just a wonderful, wonderful change over the last few years.   Dan Seguin  49:24 Lastly, Monica, we always end our interviews with some rapid fire questions. I'm hoping you say you're ready.   Monica Gattinger  49:33 Okay, I'm ready. I'll do my best.    Monica Gattinger  49:36 Here we go.What are you reading right now?   Monica Gattinger  49:39 I am reading The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. You would think you know, during a global pandemic, you wouldn't read dystopian fiction, but that's what I'm doing. Terrific. Terrific book. by Margaret Atwood.   Dan Seguin  49:52 Okay, Monica, what would you name your boat? If you had one or maybe you do have one?   Monica Gattinger  49:58 I do not have one but if I did I think I would name it Smooth Sailing, because that's what I'd want to be doing when I was on my boat.    Dan Seguin  50:05 Okay, who is someone that you really admire?    Monica Gattinger  50:09 Oh, without question. My parents. You know, we've had some pretty tragic things happen in my family and they have, you know, continued to be positive soldier on, be great grandparents to my kids, I don't know how they do it, I admire them to the moon and back, as they say,   Dan Seguin  50:26 Okay, moving on, what is the closest thing to real magic that you've witness?    Monica Gattinger  50:33 That's a tough one, I think I'd say I spent a lot of time outdoors. We have dogs. So I'm often out with the dogs, I ride horses. So I'm often out horseback riding anything in nature, there are so many magical moments where you see, you know, ways that animals are interacting with one another or things happening. Things happening in the, you know, in the plant environment and ecosystem that to me are just magical, and remind me of just how little we know about the world around us.   Dan Seguin  51:06 Okay, Monica, that's cool. What has been the biggest challenge to you personally, since the pandemic began,   Monica Gattinger  51:13 My family has been extremely fortunate during the pandemic. So yeah, it feels almost kind of trite to talk about challenges. I think if there's one thing that I would point to, though, it's the last time it's the last time notably, in my family's case, between my sons and their grandparents. You know, my youngest son used to go to his grandparents house every day after school, they'd feed him snacks, he'd come home, that's gone. They've you know, they've they're missing him growing into a young man, that's, that's been really, really tough. I mean, it's a first world problem. I, you know, we really have been fortunate. But that last time is, unfortunately, and we're just not going to get that back.   Dan Seguin  51:58 Now, we've all been watching a lot more Netflix and TV lately. What are some of your favorite shows are movie   Monica Gattinger  52:06 I could talk for hours about this. But if I had to just pick one, the whole Yellowstone series, I am just crazy for that series, you know, because I horseback ride anything that involves horses and ranches. And my own family history, you know, involves homesteading. Just that whole series Yellowstone 1883 1923. And he was talking about magic down the fact that all of that comes out of Taylor Sheridan's brain that fast I have, I don't understand at all. But I really enjoy watching it. That series is just phenomenal.   Dan Seguin  52:45 Lastly, Monica, what is exciting you about your industry right now.   Monica Gattinger  52:50 I think it's the people who are now on the let's roll up our sleeves face. And let's figure out how to know how to get this done. There's the waterfront of challenges seems endless, but the fact that that there's much more alignment among industry, government, civil society, you know, take your pick indigenous organizations, etc, about ensuring that we're reducing emissions, and, you know, the desire to work together to figure out how, to me is really exciting.   Dan Seguin  53:20 Well, Monica, this is it. We've reached the end of another episode of The thinkenergy Podcast. Thank you so much for joining me today. If our listeners want to learn more about you and your organization, how can they connect or find out more?   Monica Gattinger  53:35 We have a website that you will be welcomed to, to reach out to just type into Google "University of Ottawa positive energy" and it should pop up for you. People are welcome to reach out to me personally, you know, again, easy to find me on the Internet, email addresses and the like. I'd be happy to hear from people.   Dan Seguin  53:55 Again. Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope you have a lot of fun.   Monica Gattinger  53:59 This was great. Thanks, Dan. Really appreciate the opportunity.    Dan Seguin  54:03 Thanks for tuning in for another episode of the thinkenergy podcast. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review wherever you're listening. And to find out more about today's guests or previous episodes, visit thinkenergypodcast.com I hope you will join us again next time as we spark even more conversations about the energy of tomorrow.  

Trade between countries is so much more than railways and ports, but if it can’t move, it can’t be sold. Canada is an export nation, but currently ranks just ahead of Azerbaijan according to the World Economic Forum’s rankings on infrastructure, transport infrastructure and trade infrastructure, says Carlo Dade, vice-president of Canada West Foundation. A... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio. On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by Darin Newsom of Barchart to discuss how real the weather market is and what could happen next. You’ll also hear from Carlo Dade, with the Canada West Foundation, on the need for a national trade... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio. On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by Darin Newsom of Barchart to discuss how real the weather market is and what could happen next. You’ll also hear from Carlo Dade, with the Canada West Foundation, on the need for a national trade... Read More

The current political climate between Canada and China could be called chilly, however the strained diplomatic relationship seems to be having little impact on the real world economic and trade relationship. Carlo Dade, director of the trade and investment centre at Canada West Foundation, says that despite political tension, trade with China is increasing. Why... Read More

Amanda Lang, BNN Bloomberg; Rachel Bendayan, Liberal MP; Andrew Scheer, Conservative MP; Daniel Blaikie, NDP MP; David Frum, The Atlantic; Brian Stelter, Vanity Fair; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Gurratan Singh, Crestview Strategy; Joyce Napier, CTV News; and Kevin Gallagher, CTV News.

Tim Houston, Nova Scotia Premier; Mike Savage, Halifax Mayor; Drew Dilkens, Windsor Mayor; Richard Madan, CTV News; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Kathleen Monk, Monk + Associates; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Flavio Volpe, Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association; Brian Kingston, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association; Richard Fadden, former CSIS Director; Ward Elcock, former CSIS director; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Gurratan Singh, Crestview Strategy; and Marieke Walsh, the Globe and Mail.

Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth; Glen McGregor, CTV News; Kenny Chiu, former Conservative MP; Carlene Variyan, Summa Strategies; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News. 

Glen McGregor, CTV News; Tom Mulcair, CTV News Political Analyst; Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, University of Ottawa; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News. Alexandre Trudeau, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Member, at House Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (Live Event).

Mona Fortier, Treasury Board President; Chris Aylward, National President, Public Service Alliance of Canada; Nicholas Coghlan, former Canadian Ambassador to South Sudan; Carlene Variyan, Summa Strategies; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News. 

Mona Fortier, Treasury Board President; Chris Aylward, National President, Public Service Alliance of Canada; Sami Khoury, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security; Dan Moulton, Crestview Strategy; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Chris Aylward, National President, Public Service Alliance of Canada; Greg Fergus, Liberal MP; Blake Desjarlais, NDP MP; Jordan Gowling, CTV News; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Glen McGregor, CTV News.

Lawrence Greenspon, Human Rights Lawyer; Patty Hajdu, Indigenous Services Minister; Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Karina Gould, Families Minister; Irfan Sabir Alberta NDP Justice Critic; Elliot Hughes, Summa Strategies; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Kirsten Hillman, Canada's Ambassador to the U.S.; Sean Fraser, Immigration Minister; Scott Reid, CTV News Political Commentator; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Marco Mendicino, Public Safety Minister; David Dodge, former Bank of Canada governor; Glen McGregor, CTV News; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Marco Mendicino, Public Safety Minister; Glen McGregor, CTV News; Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian Ambassador to China; Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal MP; Peter Julian, NDP MP; Michael Wernick, former Clerk of the Privy Council; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News. Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC); as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier David Eby (Live Events).

Kenny Chiu, former Conservative MP; Ward Elcock, Former CSIS director; Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian Ambassador to China; Glen McGregor, CTV News; Stephen McNeil, former N.S. premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; and Joyce Napier, CTV News.

Brian Sauve, National Police Federation President; Bruce Pitt-Payne, Former RCMP Major Crimes Investigator; Sherry Benson-Podolchuk, Retired RCMP Officer; Heather Butts, CTV News; James Pasternak, Toronto City Councillor; Dianne Sax, Toronto City Councillor; Stephen McNeil, Former Nova Scotia Premier; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Ujjal Dosanjh, Former B.C. Premier; Joyce Napier, CTV News 

Carlene Variyan, Summa Strategies; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies; Bob Fife, the Globe and Mail; and Kevin Gallagher, CTV News. Dominic Barton, former McKinsey Global Managing Partner (Live Event).

Dominic LeBlanc, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister; Joyce Napier, CTV News; Ian Wood, CTV News; Heather Stefanson, Manitoba Premier; Carlene Variyan, Summa Strategies; Gary Mar, Canada West Foundation; and Mélanie Richer, Earnscliffe Strategies.

Tisha Schuller welcomes Martha Hall Findlay, chief climate officer at Suncor, to the Energy Thinks Podcast. Tisha and Martha discuss:·        Proactively engaging with government's around decarbonization to be a part of the solution;·        The company's 20-year support of a carbon price;·        Suncor doubling down on sustainability leadership;·        Cultivating trust and performance as oil and gas leaders; and,·        The palpable excitement amid the energy transition.Martha was appointed Suncor's first chief climate officer at the beginning of February 2022. Before her start at the company as a chief sustainability officer in January 2020, Martha served as the president and CEO at the Canada West Foundation. She has also held positions as an executive fellow at The School of Public Policy and as chief legal officer at EnStream LP from 2011 to 2016. Prior to these roles, she represented Toronto as a Member of Parliament from 2008 to 2011. Martha has an undergraduate degree from the law school at York University and was admitted to the bar in Ontario in 1988. She received a BA in international relations and an Institute of Corporate Directors designation from the University of Toronto. Subscribe here for Tisha's weekly "Both Things Are True" email newsletter. Follow all things Adamantine Energy at www.energythinks.com. Thanks to Lindsey Slaughter, Adán Rubio, and Michael Tanner who make the Energy Thinks podcast possible. [Interview recorded on February 15, 2022]