Political economist, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, and the founding director of the Parkland Institute Gordon Laxer is the key speaker of an upcoming Environment Haliburton webinar this week. He will speak about the power and influence of multi-national foreign oil corporations, on Canadian climate and energy policy on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 pm. Register for the webinar at www.environmenthaliburton.org/ Submitted by Gordon Laxer

EH welcomes political economist Gordon Laxer for webinar

Please join political economist Gordon Laxer in a webinar on his new report exposing the disturbing power and influence of multi-national foreign oil corporations on Canadian climate and energy policy, Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 pm.
Published by the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the report Posing as Canadian: How Big Foreign Oil Captures Canadian Energy and Climate Policy reveals how foreign fossil fuel interests influence Canadian governments.
“People may be surprised and intrigued to learn that all major oil corporations operating in Canada are fully or majority foreign-owned,” Laxer said. “Yet they wave the maple leaf flag, meddle in Canadian politics and perpetually lobby the federal and Alberta governments. In a healthy democracy, the voters, not foreign-influenced corporations, shape the policies enacted in their name.”
The event is jointly hosted by Environment Haliburton! (EH!),  Climate Action Muskoka (CAM)  and Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!).


The report found that foreign-owned corporations fund about 97 per cent of the revenue of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) – the apex oil and gas lobby group in Canada. A 2018 law bans foreign entities from meddling in Canadian elections. But, if corporations list their headquarters in Canada, they can register as third-party advertisers for elections. Executives of foreign-owned oil corporations have made sizeable contributions to political parties and politicians who favour their agenda. The report recommends closing the loophole.
“Climate impacts now occur across Canada. Oil and gas production is the largest source of carbon pollution here, but still governments drag their feet on policies to transition off fossil fuels. Now we know why,” CAM co-founder, Sue McKenzie said. “Canadians want to be listened to and want a ‘made in Canada’ climate policy, not one influenced by foreign fossil fuel interests.”


Laxer is a political economist, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, and the founding Director of Parkland Institute. He is the author of two award-winning books After the Sands: Energy and Ecological Security for Canadians, and Open for Business: The Roots of Foreign Ownership in Canada and the editor of several others. He has published over 40 journal articles, refereed book chapters, and research reports. His op-eds have been published widely in Canadian outlets and he has also been a regular guest on current affairs radio and television programs.
Register for the webinar at www.
environmenthaliburton.org/
The report can be found here: www.gordonlaxer.com. 

Submitted