But in a carefully worded statement, the department said Dan Wicklum, the newly appointed chief executive of the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance would be on leave from his government job, without pay, and would not be able to provide privileged advice to his new employer. Nor would he be allowed to communicate with Environment Canada employees on behalf of the industry companies in the partnership.
"We anticipate that Dr. Wicklum's assignment will bring new opportunities to strengthen collaboration and understanding between the government of Canada and the oilsands industry," wrote Environment Canada spokesman Henry Lau in an e-mail. "While on assignment, Dr. Wicklum is subject to the Values and Ethics Code for the public service . . . The Values and Ethics code is clear on the measures to be taken by public servants to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest."
Lau also wrote that Wicklum had an agreement regarding the assignment, spelling out conditions that would prevent him from exchanging internal government information with the alliance or calling on government contacts in his new role.
But the conditions appear to contrast with a statement issued by the alliance of 12 companies on Thursday. It included comments from Total E&P Canada's president and CEO Jean-Michel Gires who suggested the partnership would promote new approaches for companies to share information on environmental performance related to global warming-causing emissions as well as air and water pollution, while building better relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including regulators in government.
Bruce March, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Imperial Oil, who was on the selection committee, declined to say when Wicklum was approached, but said that the scientist emerged as the strongest candidate in a national search because of his science background and "adept" skills in managing science.
"We understood that (Wicklum) would have some limitations involved with interfaces back to Environment Canada, those have all been worked out and endorsed by Environment Canada and the government and we will forever respect those limitations," March said in an interview. "He's not a communications person. He won't be doing any advocacy. He's just a manager of the science."
March also suggested that Gires had misspoken regarding comments, included in the alliance's press release, that expressed a desire to improve relations with regulators.
Ed Whittingham, executive director of the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based environmental group was optimistic about the appointment, saying he was looking forward to working with Wicklum.
Others reacted with skepticism.
"We're used to seeing a revolving door between government and industry, but this is bordering on a merger," said Keith Stewart, a climate and energy campaigner with Greenpeace Canada.
But Lau said Environment Canada believed Wicklum could bring his unique scientific expertise and Environment Canada's perspective to help promote "environmentally responsible development" in the oilsands industry.
"As he works in his new role, he will have a unique ability to bridge the government and industry communities to share information about innovative practices and, where appropriate, foster co-operation in ways that contribute to ensuring the environmentally responsible development of the oilsands," Lau said. "At Environment Canada, Dr. Wicklum would have been working on program activities related to monitoring environmental performance of oilsands operations."
An assistant in Wicklum's new office said he was not available for an interview on Friday. But the scientist touted the new partnership at a news conference on Thursday as a significant step forward to address the environmental performance of the oilsands industry by allowing them to share best practices and work together on solutions.
"You have a very, very public, transparent commitment here," said Wicklum, who earned a PhD in biology and ecology after his career as a linebacker in the Canadian Football League. "So I think the message that they're giving Canadians is that they're taking this very seriously."
March said the companies did not offer information about Wicklum's leave of absence from government on Thursday since the question was not raised by the media.
Environment Canada said Wicklum officially took leave from his position as a director overseeing the department's aquatic ecosystem research and monitoring activities on Jan. 25, less than two weeks before the federal and provincial governments unveiled new details about a monitoring plan of oilsands operations. The plan received praise for efforts to improve the quality and quantity of monitoring of environmental impacts, but was also criticized for not allowing an independent body, separate from government and industry, to oversee the activities.
Kevin Timoney, a scientist specializing in studying the ecology of wetlands, said he had some more general concerns about Environment Canada promoting closer ties with industry, especially since he believes the department has been absent from monitoring and enforcement of the industry for years.
"The federal government under (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper has made it clear that it will take whatever steps are necessary to develop the bitumen resources, including resorting to referring to those with concerns as radicals, lobbying on behalf of industry and undermining international efforts to curb pollution," said Timoney. "I take (the latest statements about strengthening collaboration and understanding with industry) to mean that the relationship is growing closer, which is not good news."
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Mike De Souza
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