Breakthrough Nation with Karen Restoule: Crystal Smith, Ep. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmT7VfqzgAg
The Great Energy Crisis
A great battle of ideas is being waged around the energy industry in Canada…
Some in Canada view the energy industry as a one-dimensional climate change problem to be solved, chiefly by keeping oil and gas in the ground. In contrast, we propose to tell the story of Canadian energy and Canadian opportunity in a way that will change the climate of both public opinion and national policy so that Canada can achieve its potential as an environmentally responsible energy superpower.
Our work has already begun.
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute has long been Canada’s leading think tank in telling these important stories.
Our senior fellows have contributed to each aspect of the energy crisis debate; from understanding the impact of natural resources in Indigenous economic self-determination, to spelling out the role Canada ought to play in global energy security; from pushing back against cumbersome regulatory and redundant tax burdens on the oil and gas industry, to assessing the need for an international club to strengthen climate cooperation across the G7, MLI experts have been at the forefront of the issues.
A few recent highlights include:
On February 15, 2023, Heather Exner-Pirot and Martin Ignasiak published a paper, From Shield to Sword; The evolution of Indigenous economic rights in Canada, highlighting the way in which many Indigenous communities have determined that it is in their interests to pursue the economic benefits of resource development.
On January 17, 2023, MLI hosted a webinar, Race to Resources? Canada’s new critical minerals strategy and its implications, on Canada’s strategy to invest in the mining of critical minerals in order to meet the country’s energy security needs and decrease our reliance on Russia and China.
On April 12, 2022, Jack Mintz and Ron Wallace published a paper, The global energy transition confronts East vs. West realpolitik: Why energy security matters, which warns that overly rapid transitions to net zero will invite serious unintended consequences to our economic resilience and regional security.
Papers, Publications, and Events:
MLI's Thought Leadership on Energy:
Echoes of Ottawa in BC’s pipeline spat with Alberta: Jerome Gessaroli for Inside Policy
By Jerome Gessaroli, December 1, 2025 For decades, British Columbia has positioned itself as one of Western Canada’s most vocal...
Canada’s not so ‘major’ projects: Ken Coates in the Western Standard
This article originally appeared in the Western Standard. By Ken Coates, December 1, 2025 Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a second...
Why wasn’t an oil pipeline on PM Carney’s ‘nation-building projects’ list?: Heather Exner-Pirot on The Hub Podcast
https://youtu.be/3uld-itJy5A?si=alf_qIrGCZwKOKZK
Environmental ideology versus economic reality: Heather Exner-Pirot on No Nonsense with Pamela Wallin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1J1Ti7Jntk
The high price of green virtue: Jerome Gessaroli for Inside Policy
By Jerome Gessaroli, November 10, 2025 In the next few years, the average new vehicle in British Columbia could reach...
Woke and Green are departing the scene: Philip Cross in the Financial Post
This article originally appeared in the Financial Post. Below is an excerpt from the article. By Philip Cross, October 30, 2025 This...
MLI's Energy Experts:
“It is foolish and self-defeating for Canada to deny itself the full value of its natural resource endowment, especially in the context of dealing with the risks of climate change.”
– Brian Lee Crowley
