“Refine it where you mine it” – Value added or risky business? (Part 1)

To quote from our new governments election platform, “we’ll reduce our province’s over-dependence on raw bitumen exports and create more jobs with more upgrading and processing here, rather than in Texas.” Previous Alberta governments have had experience with refining and upgrading projects. Professor Ted Morton points out in an article in Alberta Oil Magazine that the “path to hell is paved with good intentions. What started off as a low-cost, low-risk initiative to incentivize more upgrading of bitumen in Alberta has turned into the multibillion-dollar North West Sturgeon upgrader, a project that will leave Alberta taxpayers holding the bag if it doesn’t fly.” Professor Morton will discuss the risks and benefits for Albertans of in province bitumen processing. Speaker: Dr. Ted Morton Dr. Morton is currently an Executive-in-Residence at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary and Senior Fellow, Energy and Environment, at the Manning Foundation. In 2013, he was appointed by the Federal Minister of Industry to the Board of Governors of the Council of Canadian Academies. He recently served as Minister of Energy for the Government of Alberta (2011-12). Prior to that, he was the Minister of Finance (2010) and Minister of Sustainable Resources Development (2006-2009). In 2001, he was the Director of Policy and Research for the Office of the Official Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons. Dr. Morton is known for his expertise in the energy-environment interface in Alberta and federal-provincial relations. Prior to his public service, Dr. Morton taught political science at the University of Calgary since 1981. His publications include five books and over 50 scholarly articles. Dr. Morton holds a B.A. degree (Phi Beta Kappa) from Colorado College and MA and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Toronto. Moderator: Duane Pendergast Date: Thursday, September 24, 2015 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM (30 minutes each for presentation, lunch and Q & A) Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea at the presentation only)