16/02/2005 - Prime Minister
Paul Martin today announced the appointments
of Elyse Allan, Alan F. Amey, Katherine M.
Bergman, Richard Drouin, Stephen Kakfwi, David
Kerr, Manon Laporte, Audrey McLaughlin, Dee
Parkinson-Marcoux, Darren Allan Riggs, Robert
Schad and Sheila Watt-Cloutier as members
of the National Round Table on the Environment
and the Economy (NRTEE). The Government is
also recommending Glen Murray as the Chair
of the Round Table. His nomination will be
referred to the Standing Committee on the
Environment and Sustainable Development.
“I am pleased to name this highly skilled,
qualified and varied group to the National
Round Table on the Environment and the Economy,”
said the Prime Minister. “As the Kyoto Protocol
comes into force, Canada will depend on their
advice, guidance and expertise to ensure that
Canada respects its commitments under the
Protocol.”
With the coming into force of the Kyoto Protocol
and building on climate change action already
underway, the Government of Canada is requesting
the NRTEE’s advice and recommendations in
the development of a long-term energy and
climate change strategy for Canada.
The Round Table brings together distinguished
Canadians from all sectors of society -- government,
industry, labour, academia, environmental
organizations and aboriginal groups -- dedicated
to the promotion of sustainable development
in Canada. It is an independent advisory body
that provides decision makers, opinion leaders
and the Canadian public with advice and recommendations
on promoting sustainable development.
See attached biographical information and
backgrounder on NRTEE.
BIOGRAPHIES OF MEMBERS
Glen Murray, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is
Research Associate for the Centre for Urban
and Community Studies and a Visiting Scholar
& Urban Policy Coordinator at the University
of Toronto. He is former Mayor of Winnipeg,
best known for his vision to build culturally
dynamic urban centres. His vision for a New
Deal for Cities started with the formation
of the C5 - a coalition of five Canadian cities.
It was during that time that he became the
first Chair of the Big City Mayors Caucus
2002. Mr. Murray is a member of the Task Force
on Creativity and the Public Service for the
Government of Canada. Between 1989 and 1992,
he was a partner in Envirofit Inc. an innovative
environmental consulting firm. He is a business
partner in the consulting firm The Glen Murray
Group which works with clients in public and
private sector with Canada's art and culture
community on urban strategies for Canadian
cities.
Elyse Allan, from Toronto, Ontario, is President
and Chief Executive Officer of GE Canada,
a position she has held since October 2004.
She began her career with General Electric
in the 1980's where she worked in corporate
affairs and with numerous GE businesses, such
as energy, aircraft engines and plastics.
Ms. Allan is currently Chair of the Board
for Providence Healthcare and is actively
involved as a member of the Public Policy
Forum Board of Directors, the Board of Governors
for the Canadian Council on Unity, as well
as being a member of the Canadian Council
of Chief Executives.
Allan F. Amey, from Calgary, Alberta, has
led the establishment of Climate Change Central,
a private-public partnership set up by the
Government of Alberta in partnership with
industry, institutions, the environmental
community, municipalities, and individual
Albertans to reduce or off-set greenhouse
gas emissions. He has been its President and
Chief Executive Officer since 2000. He is
also former Vice-President, Technology Assessment
with TransCanada Corporation. Mr. Amey obtained
a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering from
McGill University in 1971 and a Masters in
the Management of Technology from the Sloan
School of Business Management, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1994.
Katherine M. Bergman (P. Geo.), from Winnipeg,
Manitoba, has been Dean of Science and Professor
of Geology at the University of Regina in
Saskatchewan since 2001. From 1992 to 1996,
she served as Assistant Professor, Department
of Geology, University of Regina. She holds
a B.Sc., (Honours Biology) from the University
of Waterloo, a M.Sc. Geology (Palaeontology)
and a Ph.D. Geology (Sedimentology) from McMaster
University. She was the recipient of NSERC
scholarships at the graduate and post-doctoral
levels. This is Dr. Bergman’s second appointment
to the NRTEE.
Richard Drouin, from Quebec, Québec,
is Chairman of the Board of Abitibi Consolidated
(pulp and paper) and Stelco (metallurgy).
He is also Chairman of the Board of North
American Electric Reliability Council and
a director of American Superconductor Corporation
(Boston) (energy), as well as a former Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical
Society and Chairman of the Board of Trustees
of University Laval. Mr. Drouin is an Officer
of the Order of Canada and Honorary Consul
of Great Britain in Quebec.
Stephen Kakfwi, from Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories was elected as Premier of the
14th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest
Territories on January 17, 2000. First elected
in 1987, he served in Cabinet for twelve years.
Mr. Kakfwi has held portfolios in Resources,
Wildlife and Economic Development, Education,
Housing, Safety and Public Services, Aboriginal
Rights, Personnel, Workers’ Compensation Board
and Justice. He previously served as the President
of the Dene Nation from 1983 to 1987. Mr.
Kakfwi organized and hosted the Papal visit
of Pope John Paul II to Fort Simpson in 1987
on behalf of all the National Aboriginal organizations
of Canada.
David Kerr, from Toronto, Ontario, has held
an executive position with Noranda Inc. since
1986 and is currently Chairman. He is a former
Vice-chair of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development and former Chair of
the International Council on Mining and Metals.
Mr. Kerr is also active in his community as
Chair of the Toronto Rehabilitation Hospital
Foundation and with the United Way of Toronto,
the Canadian Special Olympics, the Schulich
School of Business and the Manning Awards
for Innovation. He obtained a Bachelor of
Science degree from McGill University in 1965
and his C.A. in 1969.
Manon Laporte, from Fleurimont, Québec,
has been the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Enviro-Access since its inception
in 1993. As such, she coordinates the work
of all personnel in the Quebec office. She
had previously established her own international
development company, before being named to
the post of Industrial Commissioner responsible
for technologial development and international
canvassing, for the Société
de développement économique
de la région sherbrookoise. She has
worked for over 15 years in the technological
development sector.
Audrey McLaughlin, LLD, P.C., O.C., from
Whitehorse, Yukon, was the Federal Member
of Parliament for Yukon, from 1987 to 1997.
She served as Leader of the New Democratic
Party of Canada from 1989 to 1995, the first
woman elected to lead a federal party in Canada.
Most recently she worked in Morocco as the
Director of Political Party Programs for the
National Democratic Institute. In Whitehorse,
Yukon, she operated a consulting business,
specializing in community development, research,
education and aboriginal issues.
Dee Parkinson-Marcoux, of Gibsons, British
Columbia, is currently a Director on the Boards
of SNC Lavalin Inc. and Placer Dome Inc, and
chairs the committees responsible for environment
on both of these boards. She also serves as
a director on the Sustainable Development
Technology Canada (STDC) and Ensyn Energy
Corp. She has over 25 years experience working
as an executive for such companies as Imperial
Oil Ltd., PetroCanada, Ontario Hydro, Suncor,
CS Resources and Gulf. She is best known for
leading change and for the transformation
of Suncor Oil Sands Group from being a marginal
operation to a highly profitable business.
Ms. Parkinson-Marcoux was educated at Queen's
University, graduating with an engineering
degree in 1970 and a Masters of Business Administration
in 1976; she received an Honourary Ph.D. in
1997.
Darren Allan Riggs, from Charlottetown, Prince
Edward Island, has been Marketing and Sales
Manager for Superior Sanitation Services Ltd.
since 1991. In his role, he has established
several recycling and waste hauling programs
including Commercial Cardboard Separation,
Prince Edward Island Liquor Commission Recycling
Program and the separation and reuse of building
and construction materials from the Confederation
Bridge. Mr. Riggs is also Vice President of
the Queens Country, Prince Edward Island Wildlife
Federation and Treasurer of the Island Nature
Trust. He received his Bachelor of Business
Administration from the University of Prince
Edward Island in 1986.
Robert Schad, from Toronto, Ontario, is the
Founder, President and CEO of Husky Injection
Molding Systems Ltd, a world leading supplier
of injection molding equipment and service
to the plastics industry. Mr. Schad is involved
with the Schad Foundation, which supports
projects focussed on solutions to environmental
problems. He also launched Earth Rangers,
a program that teaches school children about
wildlife and environmental responsibility.
Sheila Watt-Cloutier is originally from Kuujjuaq,
Nunavik, Northern Quebec. Before being elected
as Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference
in 2002, she headed the Canadian Branch of
the organization. Ms. Watt-Cloutier is recognized
for her untiring efforts on behalf on Arctic
indigenous peoples and, in particular, the
Inuit of the North. She champions many critical
contemporary issues including Persistent Organic
Pollutants, sustainable development, traditional
ecological knowledge, northern education and
the impact of climate change on northern regions
among others. Ms. Watt-Cloutier oversaw the
administration of the Inuit land-claims body
established under the James Bay and Northern
Quebec Agreement as Corporate Secretary of
Makivik from 1995 to 1998.
BACKGROUNDER
National Round Table on the Environment and
Economy (NRTEE)
Mandate
The National Round Table on the Environment
and Economy (NRTEE) provides advice to governments
and other stakeholders in Canadian society
on the integration of the economy and the
environment. It does so through targeted analysis
and the delivery of policy recommendations.
In addition to this ongoing function, the
Government of Canada also uses the Round Table
- its capacity and experience - to support
its decision-making on issues of particular
priority. To this end, the government periodically
refers specific requests to the NRTEE.
With the coming into force of the Kyoto Protocol,
the Government of Canada is requesting the
NRTEE to provide advice and recommendations
on the development of a long-term energy and
climate change strategy for Canada. More specifically,
the Prime Minister is asking the NRTEE to
propose advice on:
• Engaging the United States and developing
countries in any post 2012 climate change
regime, including the potential contribution
from a Leaders G20 forum and the 2005 meeting
of the G8;
• Improving the operation of the Clean Development
Mechanism to speed project approvals and meet
developing country commitments on technology
transfer;
• Integrating climate change objectives into
Canadian foreign policy, trade and aid objectives;
• Maximizing trade opportunities, in particular
exports of environmental technologies arising
from using the credit and emissions trading
mechanisms in the Kyoto Protocol; and
• Participating in the emerging global carbon
credit and emissions trading markets, including
options for linking Canada’s domestic emissions
trading regime to other countries’ domestic
regimes.
The Prime Minister is also requesting that
the NRTEE develop advice on a long-term strategic
energy and climate change policy for Canada
that:
• sets the course for the 21st Century economy
to 2030 – 2050;
• positions Canada to compete in a carbon-constrained
world, including business and sub-national
government opportunities, and options for
aligning our policies and incentives to advance
Canada to a position of leadership in renewable
energy, efficiency and conservation;
• considers options for post-2012 greenhouse
gas reduction targets, including second commitment
period and 2050 – 2080 in keeping with objectives
aimed at stabilizing concentrations of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere and minimizing temperature
increases. In considering options the NRTEE
will assess, among others, approaches taken
by the United Kingdom and Japan.
