The term energy superpower is a term mainly used by media and politicians to refer to a nation that supplies large amounts of energy resources (crude oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, etc.) to a significant number of other states, and therefore has the potential to influence world markets to gain a political or economic advantage. However, it does not have a clear definition. The term is usually used to refer to Russia, but has been used also to refer to other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, and Iran.

Energy superpower status might be exercised, for example, by significantly influencing the price on global markets, or by withholding supplies. The status of "energy superpower" should not be confused with that of "superpower".

Russia's reserves of natural gas have helped give it the title of energy superpower. However, this status has been called into question by some. As Vladimir Milov, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says :

The "energy superpower" concept is an illusion with no basis in reality. Perhaps most dangerously, it doesn’t recognize the mutual dependence between Russia and energy consumers. Because of political conflicts and declining production, future supply disruptions to Europe are likely. As a result, European gas companies may likely someday demand elimination of the take-or-pay conditions in their Russian contracts. This would threaten Gazprom’s ability to borrow. Putin’s attempt to use energy to increase Russian influence could backfire in the long run.

Bradley John "Brad" Wall, MLA (born November 24, 1965) is a Canadian politician who has been the 14th Premier of Saskatchewan since November 21, 2007.

Wall was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Swift Current in 1999, and re-elected in 2003. He became leader of the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party on March 15, 2004. He replaced Elwin Hermanson, who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2003 provincial election.

In the 2011 election, Wall led the Saskatchewan Party to a majority government in Saskatchewan with more than 64% of the popular vote and 49 of the 58 seats in the legislature.

Wall is a lifelong resident of Swift Current, Saskatchewan and he completed his post-secondary education with a degree in public administration from the University of Saskatchewan.

His political roots are in the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, working as a ministerial assistant to Graham Taylor, Minister of Public Participation, Tourism, Small Business, Co-operatives and Health, and John Gerich, Associate Minister of Economic Development. Wall ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservative nomination for Swift Current in April 1991.

Paul Wells (born 1966) is a Canadian journalist and pundit, currently working as a columnist for Maclean's. His column previously appeared in the back page slot famously occupied for many years by Allan Fotheringham, but is now kept at the front of the magazine with other columns.

Wells was born in Sarnia, Ontario and attended Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School where he played trumpet in the school's jazz band and captained a winning Reach for the Top team. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1989 with a BA in political science. While at UWO, Wells spent a lot of his time working on The Gazette, the undergraduate student newspaper, where he was news editor. After graduation, he landed an internship at the Montreal Gazette. Midway through his tenure there, Wells took a year off and moved to France to study politics and improve his French, hoping that this would help him move to the political beat.

In 1994 the Gazette assigned Wells to Ottawa as a political columnist. His work for the Gazette and his occasional pieces in Saturday Night magazine during this period brought him to the attention of editors and political writers, and in 1998 Wells moved to the new National Post daily newspaper as a political columnist. Wells became frustrated at the Post after its sale to the Asper family and the severe downsizing that followed, and in 2003 he moved to Maclean's. Wells supplements his weekly column with his blog, Inkless Wells hosted on the Maclean's website.

Robert Skinner (1591–1670) was an English bishop.

He was a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford in 1613, and graduated M.A. in 1614.

His father Edmund Skinner was rector of Pitsford, and Robert succeeded him in 1628. He was vicar of Launton from 1632.

In 1634, Oxford University granted him a D.D. at the request of William Laud, without the formalities, a move criticized by John Prideaux. In the 1630s Skinner was known for his sermons before Charles I asserting Arminian doctrines. He became bishop of Bristol in 1636. There he was active in preaching against Calvinism.

In 1641, he was translated to become Bishop of Oxford, but was imprisoned shortly afterwards with the fall of Archbishop Laud, in the round-up of Laudian bishops who were taken to the Tower of London. Released on bail he resided at Launton, and under the Commonwealth he continued to ordain priests there, using Ralph Bathurst as a deputy.

In 1663 he was made bishop of Worcester.

John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC (July 18, 1950 – August 22, 2011) was a Canadian social democratic politician and Leader of the Official Opposition. He was leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, occasionally holding the title of "Acting Mayor" or "Deputy Mayor" of Toronto during his tenure as city councillor. He was the Member of Parliament for Toronto—Danforth from 2004 until his death.

Son of a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister, Layton was raised in Hudson, Quebec. He rose to prominence in Toronto municipal politics where he was one of the most prominent left-wing voices on city and Metropolitan Toronto councils, championing many progressive causes. In 1991, he ran for mayor, losing to June Rowlands. Returning to council he rose to become head of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. In 2003, he was elected leader of the federal NDP on the first ballot of the convention.

Under his leadership, support for the NDP increased in each election. The party's popular vote almost doubled in the 2004 election, which gave the NDP the balance of power in Paul Martin's minority government. In May 2005 the NDP supported the Liberal budget in exchange for major amendments, in what was promoted as Canada's "First NDP budget". In November of that year, Layton voted with other opposition parties to defeat the Liberal government over the findings of the Gomery Commission. The NDP saw further gains in the 2006 and 2008 elections, in which the party elected 29 and 37 MPs, respectively.