Canada as the “Emerging Energy Superpower”: Testing the Case

In October 2007 CDFAI hosted its Annual Ottawa Conference, Canada as the “Emerging Energy Superpower”: Testing the Case. At the 2006 G8 Summit, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared that Canada is becoming an “energy superpower.” Based on this claim, the 2007 conference delved into the debate on Canada’s energy superpower status as well as the implications and ramifications of such a development.

Annette Hester, an economist and foreign affairs trade strategist, wrote the conference paper on this topic and challenged panellists and attendees on these important issues. The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, gave the keynote address, elaborating on the government’s efforts to develop alternative energy sources. The conference was well attended by senior Ottawa civil servants, academics, university students and industry representatives.

CDFAI was pleased to work with recurring partners as well as some new partners. They included the Canadian Centre for Energy Information, Centre d’études des politiques étrangères et de Sécurité (Université du Québec à Montréal), the Centre for Security and Defence Studies (Carleton University), Université Laval, Queen’s University, and the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars Canada Institute.

Panel Discussions

The following links point to MP3s of the various panels that took place at the conference.

Introduction
(Approximate running time: 9 minutes)

Panel 1: Life as an Energy Superpower
Presentation of Conference Poll Data: Greg Lyle
Chair: David Pratt with Annette Hester, Mike Cleland and Albert Legault.
(Approximate running time: 1 hour 59 minutes)

Panel 2: Implications for US-Canada Relations
Chairs: David Biette and Mark Entwistle with Debra Yedlin, Dave Pumphrey and Matthew McManus.
(Approximate running time: 1 hour 7 minutes)

Panel 3: Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection
Chair: Bob Booth with Dave Redman, Felix Kwamena and James Young.
(Approximate running time: 1 hour 16 minutes)

Panel 4: Energy, Environment and the Arctic
Chairs: Stéphane Rousel and Charles Pentland with Rob Huebert, Samantha Arnold and Frédéric Lasserre.
Stéphane Rousel provided closing remarks.
(Approximate running time: 1 hour 41 minutes)

CDFAI was very appreciative of the corporate sponsors who helped to make the conference a success:

Premiere sponsor: