WEYBURN – Oil show chair Dan Cugnet is “incredibly excited” that the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show is back, after being postponed from last year due to the COVID pandemic, with a lineup of three great speakers and a full list of exhibitors, and special guests will include Premier Scott Moe, Energy and Resources minister Bronwyn Eyre, and Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre.
“It’s such a great event for Weyburn and for southeast Saskatchewan. Everybody’s ready to get back to these kinds of events after the last couple of years of challenges that we’ve faced individually and within our organizations,” he said.
Premier Scott Moe will be at the Oil Show during the luncheon to say a few words to the guests and help present the SE Legends, and Hall of Fame Awards.
MP of Carleton, and candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, will also be in attendance at the luncheon to bring greetings and will then make his rounds throughout the grounds. (Both the premier and MP Poilievre were at the Oil Show in 2019.)
Provincial Minister of Energy and Resources, Bronwyn Eyre, will bring greetings during the dinner and help present the awards of Saskatchewan and Southeast Saskatchewan Oil Person of the Year.
Cugnet said the “real highlight” of the Oil Show will be the exhibitors, who are ready to showcase their products and services also, which will be informative and interesting both for those in the industry and for the general public who come to view the show.
“In light of what the sector has gone through in the last eight years, this event shows how resilient it is, and the kind of grit that comes with this industry, that we ride these booms and busts,” said Cugnet, noting some of the challenges are geopolitical, and some are caused by the domestic policy of the federal government.
“I’m just so proud of everybody in this sector, and its ability to adapt and its resiliency. I think we’re being reminded right now of the importance of energy and energy security is with what we see happening right now on the other side of the world, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Europe has somewhat been a captive to oil and gas from Russia.”
He added that national security is impacted by food security and the energy security. “I think we do this better in Canada than anywhere else in the world, and the Oil Show is a chance for us to showcase what we do here and take pride in what we do in southeast Saskatchewan.”
The highlight of the Oil Show then is to help put that message across with a platform for the businesses that comprise the oil and gas industry in the southeast, he added.
“I’m incredibly excited about the speakers we have coming to the Oil Show. Having Rex Murphy back is a treat. He’s a Canadian gem and just a storyteller, and a real hero of the everyday man. He was wonderful to have here last time,” said Cugnet.
Quick Dick McDick, the YouTube personality created by Dickson Delorme, will speak on Wednesday evening after the oilpatch awards are presented.
“He’s a Saskatchewan treasure, whether it’s a video or comments, he brings a lot of common sense, whether it’s energy or ag, we can all have a laugh with him,” said Cugnet.
The keynote speaker after Wednesday’s luncheon is Rafi Tahmazian, who has more than 30 years of oil and gas, energy banking and investment management experience.
“He is maybe one of the smartest people regarding energy, energy policy and energy security, and just the entire global energy network, in Canada. Some people will know who he is with lots of appearances on BNN,” said Cugnet. Tahmazian is a founder, current director and senior portfolio manager with Canoe Financial LP. “Just a brilliant person, so we’re thrilled to have him.”
A major highlight of the Oil Show also are the awards, with the Saskatchewan and Southeast Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year awards, noted Cugnet, as they recognize people past and present who have been very important to the oil and gas sector and to the community at large.
“All these people that we’re recognizing with the different awards are such pillars in our community, and when it comes to leadership, and philanthropy, giving back. That’s pretty exciting for us as a board and as a community,” said the board chair.
There will be many highlights in the Oil Show itself with exhibitors and vendors both indoors and out on the exhibition grounds.
“It all just comes together to show what a world class show this is every time we hold it,” said Cugnet.
