Liberals table 'Just Transition' legislation in House | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:
June 15, 2023 - "The Liberals followed through on [a] long awaited threat to gut Alberta’s energy sector by introducing its so-called ‘sustainable jobs’ legislation in Ottawa Thursday morning. The formal title of the bill is 'An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy' but everyone east of the Ontario-Manitoba border knows it simply as the ’Just Transition Act.’
"Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson appeared alongside Labour Minister Seamus O’Reagan, union representatives and members of the NDP to announce plans to create a ‘sustainable jobs council’ and a ‘sustainable jobs secretariat’ under a five-year plan. In remarks televised from the West Block, Wilkinson said 'the country’s economic future will need aligning,' and thanked the NDP for their support. Although he pledged to 'work with the provinces,' ironically there were no premiers in attendance.
"Plans to introduce the legislation were announced in this spring’s federal budget. At an appearance in Edmonton in April, Wilkinson hinted the legislation would be delayed after strong opposition from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who called it 'short-sighted' and 'harmful' to the province....
"Bill C-50 has already received first reading this morning. Already Ontario’s labour unions, including the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) were voicing unqualified support. 'With the mounting impacts of climate change, such as devastating wildfires and extreme storms, Canadians are witnessing firsthand the urgent need for action,' CLC said in a statement."
Liberals unveil Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. So what's the plan? | CBC News | June 15, 2023:
Here comes the Just Transition | Western Standard | Nigel Hannaford:
June 15, 2023 - "When Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson introduced Bill C-50 this morning, he called it the ‘Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act.’ But don’t be fooled by the bait-and-switch messaging. The legislation Minister Wilkinson announced today that's already passed First Reading in the House of Commons, is part of the Liberal plan to replace Alberta’s hydrocarbon economy with some kind of green fantasy economy. A year ago, they called it the ‘Just Transition’ — oddly enough a phrase coined some time before by Alberta’s own NDP....
"According to Natural Resources Canada, the minister had with this legislation — Bill C-50 — advanced just ‘one of the 10 key action areas’ outlined in the government’s Interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, announced earlier this year. This bill provides for an advisory body, a series of five-year plans and ‘a sustainable jobs secretariat to enable policy and program coherence across federal entities etc.…’ Nine more ‘key action areas’ to go....
"The legislation is national in scope, but Alberta and Saskatchewan, being oil and gas-producing provinces, by definition bear the brunt. Not too many Liberal seats to lose out west, so that wasn't hard....
"Premier Danielle Smith [has] offered her government’s broad support to the federal government’s emission-reduction goals, but says ‘no’ to the latest Trudeau fatuity of capping emissions or achieving a net-zero electrical grid by 2035. In her ‘warning to Ottawa,’ she said, 'As premier I cannot allow these contemplated federal policies to be inflicted upon Albertans. I simply can't and I won't.' It was well said. Now may it be well done. Where's that Sovereignty Act?"
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