The Government of Alberta Natural Resources webpage lists $180,000 in corporate sponsorship fees for the
"Framing the Future of Energy and Mines"
Energy and Mines Ministers' Conference,
July 16 - 19, 2011
Gold Sponsorship - $30,000
Silver Sponsorship - $20,000
Bronze Sponsorship - $10,000
Just like the Olympics!
Particular mention was made of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers' $30,000 gold sponsorship fee to a government conference where a national energy strategy will be discussed.
Yo, media guys! You know what would have been more useful? Coverage of CAPP's sponsorship of a federal cabinet ministers' meeting in Alberta last week to promote the tarsands.
Last week CAPP hosted Environment Minister Peter Kent, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, Minister of Public Works Rona Ambrose, and Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy in a roundtable discussion following tours of Syncrude and Suncor.
Kenney said the tour enabled them to "go back to parliament and around the world, and defend Canada's oilsands as an environmentally responsible production of energy".
He said the tarsands "constitute the future engine of the Canadian economy" :
"We're talking in 25 years about over $2 trillion in economic growth estimated to be some $700 billion in federal and provincial government revenues. ... There was a lot of bad mouthing about this industry and our government has consistently stood up in defence of the Alberta oilsands ... we will stand up for this incredible growth of our prosperity."Kenney also pledged his ministry's continued intention to "fine tune its immigration program" to deliver the skillsets the tarsands requires.
Fun fact : There are more than 20 Alberta MPs in the federal caucus.
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4 comments:
If the governmental gets $700 Billion from the oil industry it will cost the taxpayers at least double that.
Hey, when did multiculturalism move from Canadian Heritage to Citizenship and Immigration? That's weird.
And since when do federal-provincial conferences seek out corporate sponsorships. What next, Blue Cross, Great West Life, Sun Life, GE, Pfizer and Merck sponsoring upcoming federal-provincial health accord renewal discussions?
Steve : *rueful chuckle smiley*
BY : "when did multiculturalism move from Canadian Heritage to Citizenship and Immigration?"
In 2008 when Jason Kenney was promoted from Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity to Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism.
Not kidding.
Kenney : "I believe the Prime Minister’s decision to move Multiculturalism out of Canadian Heritage and into the Department of Citizenship and Immigration demonstrates the depth of the government’s commitment to multiculturalism, and enhances the program’s prestige."
Last year Quebec hosted the energy conference and refused corporate funding.
This crap is endless. Corporate sponsorship is fine for money-making conferences for different economic sectors or for non-profit events that need to make-up the shortfall of funding from public sources (and that ends up having an influence of content presented). But seriously, government conferences? That is taking the government as business model to a new low.
As for multiculturalism being more "prestigious" in its new home, I call that another Harperesque porkie. Pulling it out of Heritage means that the Harpercons don't consider the concept of multiculturalism part of Canada's culture and identity. It means they think multi-culture is the baggage new immigrants bring with them in my view.
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