David Detomasi: Oil as a Political Instrument, Energy Poverty & Canada's Superpower Question

Is Canada ready to tell a clearer story about why its energy matters to the world?In this episode of Power Struggle, Stewart Muir is joined by Dr. David Detomasi, Professor of International Business at Queen's Smith School of Business and author of Profits and Power: Navigating the Politics and Geopolitics of Oil, to examine why energy is never just a commodity—and why Canada keeps falling short of its own ambitions.From classroom hostility toward fossil fuels to the geopolitical weight of LNG, pipelines, and critical minerals, Detomasi explains why the country has the ingredients to be an energy superpower but has yet to build the narrative—or the infrastructure—to become one.They discuss:Why oil is a political instrument, not just a commodityThe reality of global energy poverty and why two billion people still lack reliable powerWhat it actually means to be an "energy superpower," and why the term has eluded Canada for 20 yearsThe trade-offs of energy transition and the false either/or of carbon vs. renewablesHow Canadian LNG and natural gas can influence emissions in China, India, and Southeast AsiaTrans Mountain, Bill C-69, and the lessons of getting big projects builtShifting public opinion, polling cycles, and the need for durable reasons to buildWhat young people misunderstand about how the energy system actually worksThis is a conversation about energy, narrative, and national purpose at a moment when Canada's global role is being rewritten in real time.At a time when allies are scrambling for secure supply and the post-war trade order is fraying, Canada's resource wealth has rarely mattered more—or been more underused.The question is no longer whether Canada has the ingredients to be an energy superpower, but whether it can finally explain why it should be one.#PowerStruggle #Podcast #DavidDetomasi #EnergyPolicy #CanadianEnergy #EnergySuperpower #Geopolitics #LNG #OilAndGas #EnergyPoverty #ProfitsAndPower #QueensUniversity #EnergySecuritySend us Fan MailThe energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod