Former Curve Lake First Nation Chief Emily Whetung has been appointed to Ontario’s Electrification and Energy Transition Panel, tasked with advising on opportunities in the energy sector.
Energy Minister Todd Smith made the announcement on Thursday, noting the panel will identify and advise the province on the highest-value opportunities in the energy sector to help Ontario prepare for any energy or electrical transitions.
“Their goal is to help enable investment, job creation and skills development in Ontario by keeping energy rates low and creating a more predictable and competitive investment environment,” the province stated.
Also appointed Thursday was Monica Gattinger, who will be joined by panel chair David Collie. They’ll be supported by Howard Weston, former chair and CEO of the Ontario Energy Board and the Ontario Securities Commission and former senator from 2016 to June 2022.
“Ontario comes from a position of strength, we have already done the heavy-lifting building one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world, giving us a clean energy advantage,” stated Smith. “Through the Electrification and Energy Transition Panel, our government is planning for the future to ensure we can continue to serve a growing population and support the new jobs from unprecedented investments including everything from electric vehicle and battery manufacturing to clean steelmaking.”
The ministry is also commissioning an independent Cost-Effective Energy Pathways Study to help better understand how Ontario’s energy sector can best support electrification and the energy transition.
“Together, the Panel and the Pathways Study will help the government make the best strategic decisions to reform our long-term energy planning process to serve Ontarians and prepare our province for the energy system of the future,” a release states.
Whetung grew up in Curve Lake First Nation, located north of Peterborough, and obtained a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough and a juris doctor at Osgoode Hall Law School. She practised real estate law for a decade before being elected chief of Curve Lake First Nation in 2019.
She held the position until the summer of 2022 and decided to not seek re-election.
In June 2022 she joined the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (ONCI) as a senior Indigenous advisor to help advance Indigenous engagement strategy and build and strengthen relationships between Indigenous nations and industry partners.
“She is passionate about the rights of First Nations people, including protecting the environment for future generations and protection of Treaty Rights,” the province stated. “She uses her expertise and knowledge to ensure that the voices of Indigenous people are heard and respected and for finding ways to ensure economic advancements occur in sustainable manners and building healthy relationships between First Nations and Canadians.”
Earlier this year on Ontario Power Generation’s The Climate Change podcast, Whetung said she has learned to embrace and endorse nuclear energy after being initially skeptical. However, she says industries need to continue to innovate as well.
“Having had an opportunity to engage with the energy industry in terms of climate change, I feel like I’ve learned that nuclear energy is way better,” she said. “And finding out that nuclear energy is one of the cleanest types of energies kind of rocked my world. It shifted my whole perspective.”
The mother of two boys says addressing climate change plays a key role in her life.
“Thinking about the two little boys that I have … I want a really great future for them, knowing that we’ve got to find an answer to this climate change emergency that’s happening,” she said. “(It) really shifted my perspective to consider nuclear in new ways and learn more about it.”
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