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  • 2025

Ignite Talks: The Role of Energy in Canadian Society

The 11 th annual Ignite Talks explored the energy sector’s vital and intricate impact beyond just oil and gas, highlighting how it powers sectors from construction and agriculture to aviation, driving sustainability, growth, and jobs. Key subjects covered included economic benefits, environmental goals, and energy security at home and abroad.

A wide array of speakers joined the discussion including Mark Brown from ATCO EnPower, Chris Fralick from TransAlta, Jennifer Woolfsmith from NOVA Chemicals, Jason Donev from the University of Calgary, and Glen Furtado with the Cement Association of Canada.

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Martha Hall-Findlay

Martha Hall Findlay, BA (International Relations), LLB, ICD.D
Director and Palmer Chair in Public Policy, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary; member of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.

Prior to joining the School of Public Policy, Martha was Chief Sustainability and Chief Climate Officer for Suncor Energy, and before that CEO of the Canada West Foundation.

As a Member of the Canadian Parliament she served in the Official Opposition shadow cabinet for International Trade; Finance; Transport, Infrastructure and Communities; and Public Works and Government; she served on the House of Commons committees for all of those portfolios.

She has been a corporate lawyer, international trade expert and senior business executive. She was named a Canadian Climate Champion in 2021; a top global female oil and gas executive and one of the top 275 global women influencers; and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Lisa Baiton

Lisa Baiton is the 6th CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

CAPP represents the Canadian upstream oil and natural gas industry, and CAPP’s member companies operate from coast-to-coast and are responsible for nearly three quarters of Canada’s annual oil and natural gas production and more than 400,000 jobs in nearly all regions of Canada.

Since her appointment in 2022, Lisa has overseen the strategic realignment of CAPP’s priorities and advocacy efforts, re-establishing CAPP as a non-partisan evidence-based research advocacy organization and authoritative resource on energy industrial policy.

Prior to joining CAPP, Lisa spent a third of her career through three CEO tenures on the global leadership team of one of the ten largest retirement funds in the world (CPP Investments) as Managing Director & Head of Global Public Affairs where she had responsibility for strategy development and program execution covering 56 countries.

Lisa has held other leadership roles including as Vice President & Practice Lead at a North American public affairs firm, and within three federal and provincial governments in Canada.

She has a BA in Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan, a MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University) and Schulich School of Business (York University), with global electives completed at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology.

Lisa has an Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D certification (University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management) and has served 20+ years on various boards of directors.]

Eric Nuttall

Eric Nuttall is a Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager with Ninepoint Partners LP. He joined the firm in August 2017.

Prior to joining Ninepoint, Eric began his career with Sprott Asset Management LP as a Research Associate in February 2003. He progressed to roles as an Analyst, Associate Portfolio Manager, and ultimately Portfolio Manager in 2010.

Eric’s views on energy are frequently sought after by BNN Bloomberg, CNBC, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and other media organizations. He graduated with High Honours from Carleton University with an Honours Bachelor of International Business.

John Baird

John Baird is a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP and a former Senior Cabinet Minister in
the Government of Canada.

An instrumental figure in bilateral trade and investment relationships, Mr. Baird has played a
leading role in the Canada-China dialogue and worked to build ties with ASEAN countries. In
addition, Mr. Baird has worked closely with international leaders to strengthen security and
economic ties with the United States and Middle Eastern countries.
A native of Ottawa, Baird spent three terms as a Member of Parliament and four years as
Foreign Minister. He also served as President of the Treasury Board, Minister of the
Environment, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Leader of the Government in the
House of Commons. In 2010, he was selected by Members of Parliament from all parties as
Parliamentarian of the Year. Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Baird spent ten years in the
Ontario Legislature where he served as Minister of Community and Social Services, Minister
of Energy, and Government House Leader.

In addition to his work with Bennett Jones, Mr. Baird sits on the advisory board of Barrick
Gold Corp., the corporate boards of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC), Canfor
Corporation (as Chair), the FWD Group and PineBridge Investments. He also serves as a
Senior Advisor at Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy.

Mr. Baird also volunteers his time with Community Living Ontario, an organization that
supports individuals with developmental disabilities, and is a board member of the Friends
of Israel Initiative. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and an
Honourary Doctorate of Law from Queen’s University at Kingston.

Lauren Savoie, President & CEO PTAC

Lauren is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over 20 years of extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, spanning upstream, midstream, oil sands mining, in situ operations, renewable energy, and technology development. She specializes in project management, strategic planning, and budgeting.

As the President and Chief Executive Officer of PTAC Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada, Lauren leads a premier organization focused on fostering innovation, collaborative research, and the advancement of technology within Canada’s hydrocarbon energy sector. Her ambition is to position Canada as a global leader in hydrocarbon energy technology.

Before joining PTAC, Lauren held several pivotal roles at Suncor, including Senior Specialist Governance Advisor, where she led enterprise processes for project development and governance strategies that enhanced corporate integration. As the Director of Strategic Development & Integration, she played a key role in shaping Suncor’s bitumen supply strategy for the Wood Buffalo Region. Her career at Suncor also included significant contributions as Director of Technology and Development Manager.

Prior to her work at Suncor, Lauren served as the Director at Petro Chad Transport, a pipeline company under Glencore E&P Inc., and as the Director of Asset Management at Caracal Energy Inc., where she managed assets in Chad, Africa.

Lauren earned her Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Victoria and is a registered Professional Engineer in Alberta. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the WPC Energy Canada board, where she fosters discussions around Canada’s energy future. When she’s not advancing her professional goals, Lauren loves skiing with her family in the stunning landscape of Fernie, BC.

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn.

Jason Balasch, Vice President, Business Development & Commercial Services, Trans Mountain

As Vice President, Business Development and Commercial Services, Jason Balasch is responsible for commercial and business development activity along with and shipper services and logistics.

Jason has over 35 years of experience in the midstream energy sector in both Canada and the U.S., including serving as the President of Plains Midstream Canada and holding several executive roles at Enterprise Products in Houston. Jason served as a Director of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and been a contributor to several other volunteer and industry associations including the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee.

Jason holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary and an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School.

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn. 

Chris Prokop, Senior Vice President, Business Development, AltaGas

Chris Prokop is SVP of Business Development at AltaGas, a North American energy infrastructure company. In this role, Chris oversees a team dedicated to advancing growth opportunities for AltaGas’s midstream business.

Prior to this role, Chris was VP of Export Development and VP and General Counsel, Midstream and Corporate at AltaGas.

Chris has extensive experience in the midstream space and legal private practice, and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Juris Doctor, both from the University of Saskatchewan.

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada

For nearly a decade The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper led Canada through the world’s most complex geopolitical, economic and security challenges as the country’s 22nd Prime Minister.

He created the modern Conservative Party of Canada, won three successive national elections, and was the longest serving Conservative Prime Minister since Canada’s founding Prime Minister in 1891.

Since leaving office in 2016, Mr. Harper founded and is Chairman and CEO of Harper & Associates, a global consulting and investment advisory business, and is Chairman of Vision One.

He serves as a Director of Colliers International Group Inc. and Recover Inc. He is also the recent author of “Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption”, and a frequent speaker on geopolitical trends, populism, and business.

Mr. Harper serves as Chairman of the International Democrat Union, the Friends of Israel Initiative, and India’s Observer Research Foundation. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of Calgary, an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University and an honorary degree from the Jerusalem College of Technology.

He is a Companion of the Order of Canada and the recipient of numerous international recognitions, including the Order of Liberty, Ukraine’s highest civilian honour.

Mr. Harper resides in Alberta, Canada with his wife Laureen; they have two adult children, Benjamin and Rachel.

Chelsie Klassen

Chelsie, a social performance leader with experience in communications, land negotiations, and stakeholder engagement across the energy, metals, and infrastructure sectors, draws inspiration from her humble beginnings in small-town Canada.

Her upbringing instilled in her a deep sense of connection to community, which she channels into her work by prioritizing active listening and integrating stakeholder feedback into major project designs. With a proactive and empathetic approach, Chelsie ensures that local cultural traditions are respected and social risks are effectively managed.

Currently serving as the Global Director of Community Engagement and Social Performance within Hatch’s Environment and Sustainability consulting team,

Chelsie oversees a team of consulting professionals spread across multiple countries. In this role, she spearheads initiatives to support the social performance of infrastructure, metals, and energy projects for clients worldwide.

Her prior experience encompasses media relations, communications planning, external relations, and land negotiations. She serves on the Board of WPC Energy Canada (formerly World Petroleum Congress Canada).

Kevin Birn, Global Head, Center of Emissions Excellence and Chief Analyst, Canadian Oil Markets

Kevin Birn is based in Calgary and is responsible for the Centre of Emission Excellence within S&P Global Commodity Insights.

The Centre is responsible for accelerating Commodity Insights emissions quantification capabilities by helping to identify and inform strategic priorities, ensuring consistency in emission estimation across business lines, and providing technical support and guidance to development of new models, methods and tools in the estimation of GHG emissions across energy value chains. 

Kevin has over a decade of experience engaging in and advising governments, companies and industry on emission accounting estimation as well as decarbonization strategies. 

He is also an established thought leader on the Canadian oil market and serves as the Chief Analyst for the Canadian Oil Market. 

Kevin is currently a fellow at the Canadian Global Affair Institute, a member of the Outreach & Engagement Committee at Emissions Reduction Alberta, and a member of the executive committee with the Global Energy Show. 

He holds an undergraduate degree in business and a graduate degree in economics from the University of Alberta.

Dr. Heather Exner-Pirot

Dr. Exner-Pirot is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and a Special Adviser to the Business Council of Canada.

She is a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington DC, an Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network and the Managing Editor of the Arctic Yearbook. 

Justin Riemer, CEO
Emissions Reduction Alberta

An Albertan through and through, Justin Riemer has dedicated his career to strengthening the province he loves.

Now the Chief Executive Officer of Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), Justin leads the team dedicated to advancing innovations that are reducing Alberta’s greenhouse gas emissions and diversifying its economy.

He has earned a reputation for skillfully navigating Canada’s innovation system, building relationships inside and outside of Alberta, and developing a strong network in support of innovation and economic development.

For more than 25 years, he has achieved results in regional economic development, industry expansion, investment attraction, and innovation.

Before joining ERA, he led the Alberta Region of Prairies Economic Development Canada in the federal government to support economic development across the province.

Prior to that, he held several senior positions focused on innovation and investment attraction at the Government of Alberta and briefly at Alberta Health Services.

Justin graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from Carleton University.

Justin is happily married and has two grown boys and a daughter-in-law.