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Harper appoints Nexen, SNC-Lavalin, and Linamar executives as energy envoys

The Ottawa Citizen reports this morning that, “The Harper government has named a former oil and gas industry executive who led a company active in the Alberta oilsands as a representative on a U.S.-Canada working group on clean energy. Charlie Fischer, who until recently served as president and chief executive officer of Calgary-based Nexen Inc., will head up one of three working groups with American counterparts as part of the Clean Energy Dialogue, Environment Minister Jim Prentice has confirmed.”

“Fischer will be the co-leader of the working group on clean energy technology, such as carbon capture and sequestration at coal-fire plants, according to the department.”

“Also named as envoy is Jacques Lamarre, the chief executive of SNC-Lavalin, who will co-lead a group focussed on improving the electricity grid. Lamarre is due to retire from his job at the company in May. Linda Hasenfratz, chief executive officer of Ontario auto parts company Linamar, will also lead a working group, looking at biofuels and clean engines.”

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to set up the working groups after a meeting in Ottawa with U.S. President Barack Obama, promising that the two countries would cooperate on developing new ways to combat climate change. But only last week, in a response to a question in the House of Commons from a Liberal MP, did the government reveal who would serve as Canadian ‘envoys’ on the groups.”

“While the exact mandates of working groups are still being developed, Environment Canada says that none of the participants will be put in a position of a conflict-of-interest.”

“Each group will have two co-leaders, with one drawn from senior levels of the bureaucracy and the other from outside government. They will consult with academics, the public and environmental non-governmental organizations.”

The full article is at http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/Former+oilsands+exec+named+head+climate+working+group/1474723/story.html