The province revealed two new appointments Friday, in a move meant to help further the province’s plans to expand the markets Alberta oil is available to.
On Friday it was announced that David Manning had been appointed to be Alberta’s envoy in Washington, D.C. – while Alan L. Ross had been given the same role in Ottawa.
Premier Alison Redford said in a statement Friday that the goal of growing the market open for the province’s resources necessitates representatives on the ground, passing on information to “key decision-makers in the U.S., Canada and throughout the world.”
“Mr. Manning and Mr. Ross have impressive resumes that include experience with both the private and public sectors,” Redford continued in the press release. “Their experience and extensive knowledge of key issues facing Alberta gives our government a strong on-the-ground presence and the ability to weigh in early and regularly on policy development that impacts Albertans.”
Manning was most recently the Senior VP and Energy Practice Leader for VHB Incorporated, a U.S. based energy consulting firm – and was also Alberta’s interim representative in Washington in 2011.
As for Ross, his last position specialized in energy infrastructure as a partner in Borden, Ladner, Gervaise LLP in Calgary.
It’s hoped the new appointments will work alongside the province’s efforts to open up markets for Alberta bitumen by not only working with U.S. and Canadian government officials, but working with the province of Quebec to examine aspects of pipeline proposals,
The positions would also help in gaining support from other provincial leaders in an effort to move more oil east, and to advocate for Alberta oil in Europe, where a number of proposed policies would discriminate against oil sands’ crude are on the table.
Each position comes with an annual salary of $275,159.
