CCL Canada Education Call – September 2018 – Dr. Kevin Taft

Kevin Taft is the author of five books, including Oil’s Deep State, published by Lorimer in 2017. Kevin served three terms in the Alberta legislature with the Alberta Liberal Party, and was Leader of the Official Opposition from 2004 to 2008, through two general elections. He has a PhD in Business from University of Warwick and is a distinguished research fellow at the Parkland Insitute at the University of Alberta, and served as a visiting fellow at Western Sydney University in Australia. Taft grew up in Edmonton, where he and his wife Jeanette still live. He is no longer involved in party politics, and is a frequent public speaker.

Listen to the call here:

Apologies in advance for the wonky audio at times. The internet connection was not stable.

Helpful to read before listening:

• Canada is the largest provider of fossil fuel subsidies to oil and gas production in the G7 per unit of GDP 2018 according to the September 2018 report: Public Cash for Oil and Gas: Mapping federal fiscal support for fossil fuels.
• A January 2018 study by the Parkland Institute estimates that the Big Five (Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), Suncor Energy, Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil and Husky Energy) in Alberta are sitting on an almost two trillion liability. “Alberta’s oil sands industry is a carbon bubble—a petroleum-oriented economy that has a high risk of instability, crisis, and even collapse,” the report states.
• The impending costs of orphaned wells and tailing ponds are in the tens of billions of dollars which might eventually be the burden of the taxpayer in Alberta and the rest of Canada. Not enough people know about this. Here are some links.
  – CD Howe Report
  – Western Producer Article
  – Kevin Taft Article – National Observer
  – Alberta Views Article on The Redwater decision (mentioned by Dr. Taft)
• Here is a recent climate change impact in Alberta Dr. Taft mentioned on the call too – Mountain pine beetle infestation in Jasper National Park is setting them up for massive forest fires just like in BC in the early 2000’s.

To book Dr. Taft to speak at an event please go here:
 https://kevintafttour.ca/

Be sure to read his book:
Oil’s Deep State: How the petroleum industry undermines democracy and stops action on global warming.

Knowledge is power.