Expert Sessions
2025 Canadian Youth Climate Assembly Information Session
Senators for Climate Solutions was thrilled to collaborate on the 2025 Canadian Youth Climate Assembly, alongside MASS LBP and Environmental Leadership Canada. This information session sought to explain the goals and structure of the project and encourage further involvement to attendees.
We were joined by Graham Smith, Chair of the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies, Peter Macleod, Executive Advisor on the 2025 Canadian Youth Climate Assembly and Principal of MASS LBP, and Jasmin Kay, Chair of the 2025 Canadian Youth Climate Assembly and Director of Mass LBP
(Original session from June 11, 2025)
The Importance of Critical Minerals in Canada and the World's Transition to a Net-Zero Economy: Ensuring a Robust Industry with Secure, Sustainable, and Responsible Supply Chains
As the global community accelerates toward achieving net-zero emissions, critical minerals have emerged as essential components in clean technologies like electric vehicles. This session explored Canada’s role in meeting the growing demand for minerals, while ensuring development of secure, sustainable, and responsible supply chains.
Guests at this session included Pierre Gratton, President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada, Photinie Koutsavlis, Vice President of the Mining Association of Canada, and Marissa Beck, Director of Clean Growth Research at the Canadian Climate Institute.
(Original Session from April 9, 2025)
Reimagining the Future: Prosperity in Canada's Net-Zero Economy
Net-Zero is the future that our government and industry are racing toward. This session sought to uncover the major industries and employers driving this new era, exploring questions of how net-zero will influence Canada’s workforce and role in the global economy.
We were joined by an expert panel including Merran Smith, President of New Economy Canada, Adam Auer, President and CEO of the Cement Association of Canada, and Colleen Giroux-Schmidt, Vice President of Corporate Relations at Innergex.
(Original session from November 6, 2024)
Tackling the Inferno: Understanding and Addressing the Growing Frequency and Intensity of Wildfires in Canada
In the wake of the devastating wildfire complex that burned through Jasper in July 2024, this session sought to educate Senators on the history of wildfires in Canada, how the frequency and intensity of these fires is being impacted by climate change, and potential new ways to approach fire management in this country.
We were joined by an expert panel including Edward Struzik, author and fellow at Queen's University, Dr. Lori Daniels, Professor in the UBC Faculty of Forestry, Richard Ireland, Mayor of Jasper, and Dr. Amy Cardinal Christianson, Co-Founder of the First Nations Wildfire Evacuation Partnership.
(Original session from September 25, 2024)
Keeping the Lights On: Ensuring Energy Security and Stability in the Transition to Net-Zero and Beyond
In this virtual panel session, experts discussed how we are going to reliably, and without interruption, power homes, lives, institutions, communities, and industries during the transition to net-zero and beyond. We also explored the sources of energy employed, as well as the cost and policy implications.
At this event, we were joined by Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Mathieu Johnson, Vice-President of Strategy at Hydro Quebec, Kate Harland, Research Lead in Mitigation at the Canadian Climate Institute, Andrew Leach, Energy and Environmental Economist and Professor at the University of Alberta, and MP Julie Dabrusin of the All-Party Climate Caucus.
(Original Session from May 2, 2024)
Post-COP28 Briefing Session
What was accomplished at COP28? What needs to be done before COP29? These questions were answered at this briefing session, providing senators with deeper insight into the inner machinations and relevant solutions revealed to attendees of COP28 in Dubai.
We were joined by Dr. Catherine Stewart, Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change, as well as Marc-André Lafrance, Manager of Negotiations, International Affairs Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada.
(Original session from February 28, 2024 – note that there is no video recording available for this)
Pre-COP28 Briefing Session
At this session, Canada’s Chief Climate Change Negotiator and members of Canada’s negotiating team answered our questions on what Canada seeks to accomplish at COP28.
We were joined by Michael Bonser, the Director General of Multilateral Affairs and Chief Climate Negotiator at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Laurence Ahoussou, Director of the Policy and Negotiations Division, and Marc-André Lafrance, the manager of the Mitigation team.
(Original Session from November 22, 2023 - note that there is no video recording available for this)
Fires, Floods, Hurricane, Heat Domes - Adaptation and Building Resilience
With the onslaught of climate-related extreme weather events our country has been facing from coast to coast to coast, adaptation efforts and solutions are becoming more and more necessary. This session explored existing and scalable solutions for climate change adaptation.
We were joined by Jimena Eyzaguirre, International Team Director and Climate Change Adaptation Lead at ESSA Environmental Consulting, Dr. Blair Feltmate, Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, and Ryan Ness, Research Director of Adaptation at the Canadian Climate Institute.
(Original Session from October 18, 2023 - note that there is no video recording available)
Financing the Transition to Net-Zero with Catherine McKenna
In this session, senators were briefed on the topics of climate-aligned finance and what it will take to finance the transition to the net-zero future in Canada and globally. This session took a critical look at the criteria for net-zero commitments of business, financial institutions, cities and regions.
The Honourable Catherine Mckenna, Canada’s former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as well as Minister of Infrastructure, was the guest speaker at this event. She gave her insights as guided by her experience at Environment and Climate Change Canada, as well as chairing the UN Secretary Genera’s High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities.
(Original Session from October 4, 2023)
Climate Solutions in the Agricultural Sector
According to the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, Canada’s agriculture sector accounted for 10% of Canada’s total emissions in 2019. Agriculture must be a priority in considerations of Canada’s net-zero targets, and this panel uncovered what climate solutions lie in the sector.
At this session we were joined by Brent Preston, President of Farmers for Climate Solutions, his colleague Andrew Rushmere, Farm Resilience Mentorship Program Director, Scott Ross, Executive Director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and Professor David Burton, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Soil Management at Dalhousie University.
(Original Session from May 3rd, 2023)
Powering Canada's Future: What Will it Take to Green and Grow the Grid?
This session tackled all things to do with greening the grid, highlighting the overall need to significantly expand Canadian electric capacity from where it is today.
We were joined by Caroline Lee, Research Lead for Mitigation at the Canadian Climate Institute, Anthony Haines, President and CEO of Toronto Hydro, and Dr. Sara Hastints-Simon, Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and expert in energy, innovation, and climate policy.
(Original Session from February 15, 2023)
Post-COP15 on Biodiversity Briefing Session
This session provided insight into the COP15 on Biodiversity. Panelists, who attended COP15 in Montreal, discussed lessons learned at the sessions, the role of centering indigenous voices in negotiations on biodiversity, and biodiversity finance.
We were joined by Tara Shannon, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Kelly Torck, Canada’s Chief Negotiator for COP15, who shared their experiences at COP15.
(Original Session from February 8, 2023)
Post-COP27 Briefing Session
At this session, information was provided following the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Notable outcomes from this conference included the establishment of a loss and damage fund, adaptation goals, and climate finance
(Original Session from November 2022 - note that there is no video recording available for this)
Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe
“Most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it.” At this Senators for Climate Solutions event, Senators were given the chance to sit down and chat with Katherine Hayhoe.
Katherine is a Canadian atmospheric scientist and professor of political science at Texas Tech University, where she is the director of the Climate Science Centre. Her work prioritizes putting focus and attention on the pressing issues of climate change, in a way that is accessible for all, not just experts, through storytelling.
(Original Session from October 5, 2022)
Official Launch of Senators for Climate Solutions
This session served as the in-person launch of Senators for Climate Solutions. Guests giving remarks included Pierrette Ringuette, Madame Speaker pro tempore; the Right Honourable David Johnston, Canada’s 28th Governor General, Parliamentarians from New Zealand, and Parliamentarians from Peers for the Planet who gave their remarks virtually, and other distinguished guests.
“We believe that the threat of climate change is of such a scale and urgency that the efforts of experts need to be enhanced by support from a wider, more broadly based group. Members of Senators for Climate Solutions aim to draw on their combined diversity of experience, power and influence to do what we can to tackle climate change and bio-diversity loss in Canada and abroad.” - Senators for Climate Solutions co-chairs, The Hon. Mary Coyle and The Hon. Stan Kutcher
(Original Session from September 28, 2022 - note that there is no video recording available for this)
Meeting with Peers for the Planet, UK House of Lords
Democracies worldwide are searching for ways to prioritize climate solutions in governance and policy. In discussion with parliamentarians from the UK, this session delved into the global context and climate perspective for climate legislators, challenges, opportunities and learnings, and projects being carried out by our UK counterparts.
At this session, we were joined by guest speakers from the UK House of Lords. This included Baronesses Bryony Worthington, Helene Hayman, and Lynette Huntley as members of Peers for the Planet, a legislative climate group similar to Senators for Climate Solutions in the UK’s House of Lords.
(Original Session from June 22, 2022)
Citizens' Assemblies and the Experience with Climate Assemblies Internationally
Citizens’ Assemblies have come out of the modern political woodworks as a tool for engaging people across all demographics in shaping and contributing to public policy. Canada is a global leader in citizen deliberation, so experts at this session decoded what citizens’ assemblies are and what elements are needed for successful ones.
At this session, we were joined by Peter MacLeod, founder and principal of MASS LBP, and Graham Smith, the Chair of KNOCA, who shared their wisdom and insight into the inner workings of citizens’ assemblies, and what kind of momentum they could build if used in Parliament.
(Original session from June 8, 2022)
Guest Speaker Event with Mark Carney, Economist and Vice-Chair of Brookfield Asset Management
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of the economy and its impact on all Canadians was of high importance to legislators. We sat down with Mark Carney to understand the economist’s perspective and insight on governance post-pandemic, and where there is alignment with economic and climate-related goals for Canada as stated in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.
This session’s guest, Mark Carney, is an Economist and the Vice-Chair of Brookfield Asset Management.
(Original session from May 30, 2022)
Guest Speaker Event with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Canadians have been clear with us: they want ambitious action for a healthy environment and strong economy.”
At this session, Senators for Climate Solutions spoke with Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, about the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan published in March of 2022, climate aspects of the budget, and the Baie du Nord decision.
(Original Session from May 2, 2022)
Guest Speaker Event with the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Following the invasion of Ukraine, the security of energy has become a very pertinent topic of discussion and policy action. However, there is a growing fear that this prioritization of the energy security discussion will remove from conversations around climate.
In this session, we explored the changing landscape of energy and its intersections with climate change with the Honourable John Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.
(Original Session from April 8, 2022)
Guest Speaker Event with Jerry DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
The effects of climate change pose risks for all parts of Canada, and because of its size, the range of climate events occurring is large and must be accounted for in governance. With this in mind, this session briefed senators on two reports: the Lessons Learned report and the Emissions Reductions Fund Report.
The guest speaker at this session was Jerry DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.
(Original Session from February 4, 2021)
Guest Speaker Event with Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency
At this session, members chatted with Dr. Fatih Birol, who attended the first week of COP26. During the session, he provided an overview on where we are today on the pathway to net-zero from a Canadian and international perspective.
Dr. Fatih Birol is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Under his leadership, the IEA has become a global hub for clean energy transitions and broadened its energy security mandate.
(Original Session from November 8, 2021 - note that there is no video recording available for this)
Guest Speaker Event with Steven Kuhn, Chief Negotiator for COP26
This was a pre-COP26 info session with Steven Kuhn, Canada’s Chief Negotiator. During the session, we delved into the climate goals of COP26 and what was on the negotiation agenda, including transparency and accountability in reporting; climate finance to support developing countries; adaptation, loss, and damage; and so much more.
Steven Kuhn is the Director General of Multilateral Affairs and Climate Change in the International Affairs Branch, as well as being Chief Climate Change Negotiator for Canada.
(Original Session from October 26, 2021)
Inaugural Meeting of Senators for Climate Solutions
At this first meeting, co-founders Senator Mary Coyle and Stan Kutcher gave a brief overview of the goals and planned activities of Senators for Climate Solutions. They announced the goal of the group - to bring together, inform, and support Canadian Senators who want to address the critical issue of climate change.
This session boasted 76 attendees, senators and their staffers alike.
(Original Session from October 20, 2021 - note that there is no video recording available for this)