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2014 Halifax International Security Forum

2014 Halifax International Security Forum

Date
November 21-23, 2014
Location
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Participants
300

Agenda & Speakers

Friday, November 21
Saturday, November 22
Sunday, November 23

7:00

5K Run with Canadian Minister of National Defence Rob Nicholson

LOCATION: Westin Lobby

9:00-10:15

Breakfast Sessions

Degrade and Destroy: ISIL and the Future of the Arab World
LOCATION: Atlantic Ballroom

SPEAKER: General John Allen (Ret.), Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition Against ISIL, United States Department of State
MODERATOR: Ms. Susan Bonner, Host, World at 6, CBC Radio One

 

Latin Lessons: The Role of the Americas in Global Security
LOCATION: Tradewinds

SPEAKERS: Dr. Mauricio Meschoulam, Professor, Universidad Iberoamericana; Mr. Juan Nagel, Editor, Caracas Chronicles; Mr. David Smolansky, Mayor, El Hatillo Municipality, Venezuela
MODERATOR: Dr. Christopher Sabatini, Senior Director of Policy, Americas Society and Council of the Americas

10:30-11:45

Plenary 7:
 Wanted: Food, Energy, Water – A FEW Good Resources On the record

Speakers

Executive Editor, Defense One
Moderator
Mr. Kevin Baron

Mr. Kevin Baron

Kevin Baron is Executive Editor of Defense One, Atlantic Media’s national security news, analysis and events brand. For more than 15 years in Washington, Baron has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress, and politics for Foreign Policy, National Journal, Stars and Stripes, the Boston Globe, and the Center for Public Integrity. Baron is Vice President of the Pentagon Press Association. He is twice a recipient of the George Polk Award, among others. Baron earned a master’s degree from George Washington University and bachelor’s from the University of Richmond. Raised in Florida, Baron lives in Northern Virginia with his three sons.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy
Admiral Michelle Howard

Admiral Michelle Howard

Admiral Michelle Howard currently serves as the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations. On July 1, 2014, she made US Navy history as the first female promoted to the rank of four-star admiral and the first African-American woman to attain a four-star rank in the history of the Department of Defense. On March 12, 1999 she took command of USS Rushmore becoming the first African American woman to command a ship in the US Navy. She has made numerous shipboard deployments. She supported operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Arabian Gulf, Operation Joint Endeavor in the Adriatic, and conducted operations and training with the naval services of seven African nations off the coast of Western Africa. As commander of Amphibious Squadron Seven, she conducted tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and maritime security operations in the North Arabian Gulf. She also commanded Expeditionary Strike Group Two and Task Force 151, a multi-national counter-piracy effort in the US Central Command theater.

President, Institute of Energy Policy
Mr. Vladimir Milov

Mr. Vladimir Milov

Mr. Vladimir Milov is a Russian opposition politician, publicist, economist, and energy expert. He is the former Deputy Minister of Energy of Russia (2002) and author of major energy reform concepts, including the concept of market restructuring and unbundling of Gazprom, which was banned from implementation by President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Milov is also founder and president of the Institute of Energy Policy, a leading independent energy policy think tank (since 2003). He is a columnist for major Russian political and business editions, including Vedomosti, Gazeta.Ru, and Forbes Russia. Since 2008, Mr. Milov had joined Russian opposition politics, writing a critical report on the first eight years of Vladimir Putin’s presidency titled Putin: The Results. He is the leader of the ‘Democratic Choice’ opposition party.

Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation
Mr. Peter Tertzakian

Mr. Peter Tertzakian

Peter Tertzakian has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry and is widely regarded as an energy historian, analyst and futurist. Peter’s two books, A Thousand Barrels a Second and The End of Energy Obesity provide insight into the dynamic world of energy through a thoughtful and highly readable examination of economic, environmental and geopolitical pressures. Both books are informed by a deep understanding of where we’ve been and the factors that will influence where we are going. His books have been translated into several languages including, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic. Peter Tertzakian is Chief Energy Economist and Managing Director at ARC Financial Corporation. Peter has an unparalleled understanding of the energy sector, having begun his career as a geophysicist in 1982. He spent eight years immersed in field operations, seismic data processing and geophysical software development. He moved from oil & gas to the financial sector in 1990. For 20 years he has been analyzing technology and energy-related businesses. Peter’s unique background in geophysics, technology, economics, and finance is reflected in his work as an historian, analyst and futurist.

Access to renewable and non-renewable resources including energy resources, food and water, are central to geopolitical relations and realities, and were explored by the panelists in this session. Speakers discussed the trends and management of supply and demand – both real and perceived – of products on which people rely. Participants also discussed the outcomes of resource scarcity at the individual, organizational, national and regional levels in terms of cost and security. Panelists concluded with their opinions about future dynamics around resource requirements and sources.

“There are multiple challenges ahead, multiple investments to be made. … There is plenty of room for more work on energy efficiency … But I think as far as energy is concerned, I think there is plenty of room for optimism despite all the hard work that needs to be done.”

— Mr. Vladimir Milov, President, Institute of Energy Policy

“The paradox is that if you make energy systems more efficient, society will consume more energy. And that is a well-documented thing. So energy efficiency on its own is not a sufficient response to sustainability issues.”

— Mr. Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation

“Every time in the history of energy, when you butt up against unsustainable issues, there are three factors that dictate it, and it is not any one of these factors, it’s the collusion of these factors; they are always the same. It’s environmental degradation, geopolitics and population growth, wealth, creation and excessive demand on resources and also combined with scarcity of the resources that you are using. And during these periods …what you have are periods of a lot of turmoil, turbulence; geopolitical issues become exacerbated. … I am actually technologically an optimist: that technology can take us much further than it has in the past …but in the near term, I am quite concerned about the geopolitical angle. The global geopolitical situation … is nothing short of ugly and that is curtailing investments.”

— Mr. Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation

“If you take a look at the recent non-conventional boom in the oil and gas, it was pretty much driven by private initiative and to a large extent by smaller and medium sized companies without direct government interference. This is why my best advice to governments, if you want to non- conventional boom to continue: stay out of it.”

— Mr. Vladimir Milov, President, Institute of Energy Policy

“The free market has a very powerful way of fostering innovation, and we are in this period where we are seeing dramatic innovation in things like drilling completions, the ability to bring more oil and gas to surface at lower and lower costs.”

— Mr. Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation

“Nobody actually looks at themselves in the mirror and says, ‘Actually it is our collective responsibility,’ because there is a big difference between conservation and energy efficiency. Conservation means being mindful about when you turn the lights on and off or what kind of vehicle you drive … and I think that the public is shirking responsibility. I think the governments have a responsibility to educate people. 75% of emissions are generated in the oil supply chain by driving vehicles. You talk about the oil sands, and it gets a bad rap and it is only like 10% of the omissions. The bulk of the omissions are in the habits of the people that use this stuff.”

— Mr. Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation

“When we look at mass migration starting because of lack of food, lack of water, there are going to be neighboring countries that might not be able to absorb a mass migration and so the instability…we generally think about security in terms of potential conflict between nations but a lack of resource can be just as much the source of the conflict.”

— Adm. Michelle Howard, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy

“Last year was the first year in history in which more people around the world died from over-consumption of food and disease related to over consumption of food than from starvation or lack of food – so much for the world it running out of food. The problem of food has to do with management and distribution. Natural gas ties into food, energy.”

— Dr. Gal Luft, Co-Director, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security

“If you look at the OECD countries, the 28 wealthiest countries in the world, the energy consumption has flattened out, and many countries, including Germany, are in decline. So it can be done; it does take willingness on the part of the people, combined with policy, combined with recognizing you are making a big mess, which is one of the catalysts I mentioned. Environmental degredation is something that catalyzes a breaking point.”

— Mr. Peter Tertzakian, Chief Energy Economist & Managing Director, ARC Financial Corporation

“We have to stop thinking about renewables as a substitute to the big three: oil, gas, and coal, which dominate the energy balance and something that will be replaced with solar wind, whatever which would play similar roles. We have got to think about renewables as filling very specific niches, maybe not too large, like geothermal best fits for energy supply of remote north regions. Municipal waste is very good at providing energy for cities, wind and solar is very good sources for individual homes and rural areas, and so on. We have got to think about renewables for their specific niches and purposes, and this is why we can make them best fit into global development.”

— Mr. Vladimir Milov, President, Institute of Energy Policy

11:45-12:15

Coffee Break

12:15-13:30

Plenary 8:
 The New Propagandists: The Battle for the Narrative On the record

Speakers

Senior Fellow, Homeland Security Policy Institute, George Washington University
Moderator
Ms. Jeanne Meserve

Ms. Jeanne Meserve

Ms. Jeanne Meserve has been an anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News, winning two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. As Director of Training for The Communication Center she now travels the world providing executive coaching to clients from top corporations, government, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. Meserve also moderates interviews and policy debates for the World Health Organization, the Aspen Institute, and other academic and policy groups. She continues to do voiceover and on camera work, and is a Senior Fellow at the George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute and a member of the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Advisory Committee. A graduate of Middlebury College, Meserve is a recipient of the college’s Alumni Achievement Award. Find her on Twitter: @JeanneMeserve.

Minister of Public Safety, Canada
The Hon. Steven Blaney

The Hon. Steven Blaney

Minister Steven Blaney was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2011. In July 2013, Mr. Blaney was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Previously, he was appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs in May 2011, and to the additional position of Minister for La Francophonie in February 2013. Mr. Blaney was appointed Vice-Chair of the Conservative Quebec Caucus and in October 2008 he became Chair of that Caucus. He served on the standing committees on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and on Environment and Sustainable Development. In May 2007, Mr. Blaney became Chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, which strives to promote linguistic duality throughout the country. After he graduated from the Université de Sherbrooke, Mr. Blaney became a civil engineer in 1988 and then obtained a Master of Business Administration in 2002 in Lévis. Mr. Blaney is married to Marie Bouchard and has two children.

Former Prime Minister of Russia, Co-Leader, Republican Party of People’s Freedom
H.E. Mikhail Kasyanov

H.E. Mikhail Kasyanov

Mikhail Kasyanov, Prime Minister of Russia in 2000-2004, is one of Russia’s democratic opposition leaders, Co-Leader of the Republican Party of People’s Freedom (PARNAS). The party has been initiating massive protests against lawlessness, corruption, and Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. As Prime Minister, Kasyanov’s cabinet launched comprehensive structural reforms and implemented systemic transformation measures. Kasyanov was a candidate for president in 2008, but was denied participation on political grounds. Having been elected political leader of People’s Democratic Union Party (PDU), in 2006 and 2007 Kasyanov initiated and led Marches of Dissenters, the first large protests against anti-democratic drift in Russia. Prior to serving as Prime Minister, Kasyanov served as Finance Minister, Deputy Finance Minister, and Head of the External Debt Department. His time as Finance Minister saw Russia’s first non-deficit budget.

Chairman and CEO, Moby Group
Mr. Saad Mohseni

Mr. Saad Mohseni

Saad Mohseni is Chairman and Chief Executive of MOBY Group. Established in 2002 by Saad and his siblings, MOBY Group is a leading media and entertainment company with a focus on emerging markets in South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Prior to establishing MOBY Group, Saad headed the equities and corporate finance division at one of Australia’s leading investment banks. He was born in England where his father was serving as an Afghan diplomat, and spent his early years in Kabul, Islamabad, and Tokyo before immigrating to Melbourne, Australia. Saad served as an Economic Advisor to the Afghan government from 2002 to 2004, where he assisted in the development of the Afghan Investment Support Agency, Industrial Parks Commission, and the High Commission for Investment. In 2011, Time Magazine recognized him as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the world, citing his impact as a shaper of public opinion in Afghanistan through open criticism of the government and challenging of social conventions ingrained by years of Taliban rule. In 2013, Foreign Policy magazine recognized him as one of their 100 Global Thinkers.

Executive Vice President for Worldwide Government, Legal, and Business Affairs, MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc.
The Hon. Frances Townsend

The Hon. Frances Townsend

Frances Fragos Townsend is an Executive Vice President for World-wide Government, Legal, and Business Affairs at MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc. Previously she was a corporate partner with the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP. From 2004 to 2008, Ms. Townsend served as Assistant to President George W. Bush for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and chaired the Homeland Security Council. She also served as Deputy National Security Advisor for Combatting Terrorism from May 2003 to May 2004. Ms. Townsend spent 13 years at the US Department of Justice under the administrations of President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, and President George W. Bush. Ms. Townsend also serves on several government advisory and nonprofit boards. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. Ms. Townsend is an on-air Analyst for CNN and has regularly appeared on network and cable television as a foreign policy, counterterrorism, national and homeland security expert.

This panel’s discussion on propaganda was particularly timely given the use of the Forum’s social media hashtag #HISF2014 by ISIL promoters during the event. Focusing largely on the current narrative battlefields in Russia and Eastern Europe as well as Afghanistan, and with ISIL, panelists discussed successful forms and methods of message delivery, as well as whether if the most effective source was private or public. According to the panelists, winning the narrative battle is more than countering propaganda, it also means identifying and galvanizing the narrative of modernity and creating mechanisms to deliver information that counters terrorism and the promotion of violent, unlawful behavior.

“Those who contravene the law or commit violence have to face the full force of the law.”

— The Hon. Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety, Canada

“They call themselves ‘Twitter Jihadis.’ There are cells on the internet that distribute the propaganda and in real time – it was Thursday or Friday in the battle of Ramadi, they were distributing videos of the fight there. They were reporting on the weather and the way the weather impeded the coalition actions to have air support to Iraqi forces. …the Counter Extremism Project goes out, tries to identify those individuals who are disseminating the propaganda.”

— The Hon. Frances Townsend, Executive Vice President for Worldwide Government, Legal, and Business Affairs, MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc.

“You also have to look at the underlying situation. Some of these populations are receptive to the ISIS narrative because of either the sheer dominance of Iraq or various problems that the people have in other parts of the Middle East. So you have to also deal with the underlying situation. You cannot just win this through marketing alone. I think that you have to also address a lot of other bigger picture issues.”

— Mr. Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO, Moby Grou

“The unifying principle here is that, whether you’re talking about Russia or you’re talking about ISIS, we have to know that this [the narrative] is a battle space, just like physical battle space. And we must not permit it to be uncontested.”

— The Hon. Frances Townsend, Executive Vice President for Worldwide Government, Legal, and Business Affairs, MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc.

“I think we have to get to the core. We can express ideas. We are a democracy. We can have these debates in a free and open environment…But the bottom line is if you are willing to use violence, attack a symbol of a government and contravene the law and do it and purposely for an extremist or ideology, this is terrorism and our nation has to send a strong signal that this is not the Canadian way.”

— The Hon. Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety, Canada

“You have to have multiple efforts. You have to delegitimize, deglamourize ISIS and what they’re doing. You have to shame them. You have to see doubt … attempt to fragment the organization. But even before that, you have to address why these young people are attracted to ISIS.”

— Mr. Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO, Moby Group

“Russian propaganda works at the moment. And in fact, just the psychological poll shows that more than 80% support Putin’s policy vis-à-vis Ukraine, and Ukraine in particular. But that’s the issue of propaganda because we in Russia don’t have free media at all. We don’t have any single free media … this intensive propaganda … is effective and it works, not only for Russian population, but also abroad.”

— H.E. Mikhail Kaysanov, Former Prime Minister of Russia, Co-Leader, Republican Party of People’s Freedom

“Definitely we can do something … to create a flow of information. I think just for the United States, it’s important to keep funding of all those channels, like Radio Liberty and others, and potentially to be engaged more with the Russian civil society organizations which can distribute information through social media… What they can do just to support truth. True information. That is the most important thing. … the most awful thing that could happen is if just the West would give up on Russia: close their eyes.”

— H.E. Mikhail Kaysanov, Former Prime Minister of Russia, Co-Leader, Republican Party of People’s Freedom

“I think the single most important thing we need to discuss as Muslims is what does Islam represent? To characterize this. People talk about moderate Muslims. Who are we? And what do we believe in? The debate needs to come from the Islamic countries, and I think this is very serious, that we need to actually look within and to ask ourselves as to what we believe in.”

— Mr. Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO, Moby Group

“It’s difficult for a foreign government, which is not Muslim, to define what it means to be a Muslim. That’s why I think it has to develop from within. It needs to be debated. I think we need to have some debates over the next few years. It needs to be discussed. We need to have forums. It needs to be encouraged.”

— Mr. Saad Mohseni, Chairman and CEO, Moby Group

13:30-14:30

Closing Lunch

LOCATION: Atlantic Ballroom

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