Political Science Seminar Series

Friday, Feb. 14, 2:30-4 p.m.

CSF 1203

Title: The Interpretive Politics of Natural Gas: Risk Narratives, Bridge Fuel Frames, and Climate Delay in Provincial Climate and Energy Policy Making in Canada

Despite Canada’s commitments to reducing climate pollution, public outcry regarding the climate impacts of the oil sands, global campaigns to “Keep It in the Ground” and exponential growth in renewable energy, natural gas continues to remain a bulwark of energy production, export, and use in Canada. Drawing on her comparative research in provincial energy and climate politics, Millar argues that understanding interpretive politics is essential to understanding how the natural gas industry has navigated the rapidly changing dynamics of Canada’s energy and climate sectors. Millar’s research explores the role of narratives and frames in three sectors: oil and gas production, provincial climate policies, and electricity decarbonization. Bringing together findings from political economy, policy studies, and contentious politics, Millar demonstrates how risk narratives, bridge fuel frames, and climate delay narratives shape provincial policy outcomes, helping to explain variation across the federation.

Heather Millar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of New Brunswick. Her recent scholarly monograph, Fracking Uncertainty: Hydraulic Fracturing and the Provincial Politics of Risk (UTP), is a comprehensive comparative study of provincial hydraulic fracturing regulation in Canada. Her research on Canadian provincial energy and climate politics has been published in international journals such as Energy Research and Social Sciences, Environmental Politics, and Policy Sciences. Heather was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa and the Environmental Governance Lab at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Toronto and a MPP and BA from Simon Fraser University. Prior to her graduate studies she worked in the Canadian non-profit sector on a range of housing, environmental, and international development issues.

Presented by Department of Political Science

Event Listing 2025-02-14 14:30:00 2025-02-14 16:00:00 America/St_Johns Political Science Seminar Series Title: The Interpretive Politics of Natural Gas: Risk Narratives, Bridge Fuel Frames, and Climate Delay in Provincial Climate and Energy Policy Making in Canada Despite Canada’s commitments to reducing climate pollution, public outcry regarding the climate impacts of the oil sands, global campaigns to “Keep It in the Ground” and exponential growth in renewable energy, natural gas continues to remain a bulwark of energy production, export, and use in Canada. Drawing on her comparative research in provincial energy and climate politics, Millar argues that understanding interpretive politics is essential to understanding how the natural gas industry has navigated the rapidly changing dynamics of Canada’s energy and climate sectors. Millar’s research explores the role of narratives and frames in three sectors: oil and gas production, provincial climate policies, and electricity decarbonization. Bringing together findings from political economy, policy studies, and contentious politics, Millar demonstrates how risk narratives, bridge fuel frames, and climate delay narratives shape provincial policy outcomes, helping to explain variation across the federation. Heather Millar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of New Brunswick. Her recent scholarly monograph, Fracking Uncertainty: Hydraulic Fracturing and the Provincial Politics of Risk (UTP), is a comprehensive comparative study of provincial hydraulic fracturing regulation in Canada. Her research on Canadian provincial energy and climate politics has been published in international journals such as Energy Research and Social Sciences, Environmental Politics, and Policy Sciences. Heather was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa and the Environmental Governance Lab at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Toronto and a MPP and BA from Simon Fraser University. Prior to her graduate studies she worked in the Canadian non-profit sector on a range of housing, environmental, and international development issues. CSF 1203 Department of Political Science