Senior Harper adviser to split duties between PMO and Alberta-based institute

One of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s senior advisers has been appointed head of an Alberta-based research and teaching centre.The Canada School of Energy and Environment announced Thursday that Bruce Carson will be its first executive director, effective immediately.

Last month’s shakeup of the prime minister’s office saw Carson promoted from his role as Harper’s legislative assistant to senior adviser.

Kory Teneycke, Harper’s director of communication, says Carson will remain in the prime minister’s office until after the next federal election and will ease into his new job in the interim.

The Canada School of Energy and Environment is a collaboration involving the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge.

The Conservative government identified the school as one of Canada’s Centres of Research Excellence and Commercialization in its March 2007 budget and gave it $15 million.

- The Canadian Press