Call it what you will, the government owes Canadians a plan to ensure the energy transition is fair

What started as a “war on words” regarding the federal government’s proposed just transition legislation has spilled into a chaotic brawl as top elected officials play loose with facts. Public debate on the unfulfilled electoral promise to deliver a just transition is necessary, but we need to be grounded in reality, and focus on the clear need for this legislation. There are urgent and compelling reasons for a federally supported, locally led plan for those most affected by the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Regardless of its name, Canadians want to ensure workers and communities don’t bear the burden of this shift. The majority of people living in Canada support a “swift” implementation of a just transition policy, and a similar number expressed frustration with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for failing to deliver on environmental electoral promises, including the just transition legislation. The government must cut through the bombast and posturing of the past weeks and carry forward on its promise to deliver a plan that serves workers and communities affected by the major economic shifts coming our way. The global energy transition is happening, regardless of Canada's actions—or inaction. As key stakeholders, oil and gas workers have also expressed consistent interest in the opportunities that the net-zero economy offers, while voicing legitimate concerns about being “left behind.” An Abacus study surveying 300 fossil fuel workers across the country found 61 per cent believe that Canada should pivot towards a net-zero economy, while 69 per cent of them are interested in switching to a career in the clean economy. Workers in the fossil-fuel sector are seeking government involvement, fearing what will happen if things are left to the market. Two-thirds of surveyed workers declared being worried about experiencing job loss, wage reduction, forced retirement and a lack of opportunity to progress in their careers if they do not receive dedicated support. These fears were especially prominent amongst workers under the age of 45, making this another place where inadequate climate policies could exacerbate generational inequities. Aliénor Rougeot is the climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence. Photograph courtesy of Environmental Defence There is a real risk of an unjust transition. Canadians remember all too well the economic collapse in Newfoundland and Labrador, which resulted in 37,000 workers losing their jobs, virtually overnight, due to an unmanaged shutdown of the cod fishery. Alberta’s recent move away from coal-powered electricity generation, where workers who thought they had 10 years to plan their next move ended up with as little as two weeks, is another example of what can take place when governments lack foresight and fail to prioritize workers and communities in environmental policies. This time must be different, not only out of moral responsibility toward the families affected, but also out of necessity to maintain Canada’s economic and democratic stability. The Alberta Federation of Labour and five Alberta unions representing oilsands workers weighed in on the issue last fall in a letter to the prime minister, demanding the federal government dedicate at least two per cent of Canada’s GDP per year for a—you guessed it—“just transition.” Mikisew Cree First Nation and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, two Indigenous nations in the oilsands region, have been calling for a just transition plan for years. The transition to a decarbonized economy goes far beyond the energy sector and will require the transformation of industrial processes, the electrification of our economy, and a new low-carbon industrial and manufacturing strategy. Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union representing workers in most affected sectors, has taken an explicit stance in support of worker-centred just transition policies. The Quebec Federation of Labour and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are even walking the talk by implementing just transition initiatives in their workplaces. Those directly affected clearly see the writing on the wall: change is coming, and Canada will either embrace it and lead it, or will suffer as it watches from the sidelines. It is time for legislation that commits the government to the principles of a just transition, starting with social dialogue—the practice of including affected parties in decision-making from the start. The act must also lay out the mechanisms through which region and sector-specific plans will be negotiated, with workers, all levels of government including Indigenous governments, and other social partners must be at the table. While the federal government shouldn’t be deterred by the noise of the past weeks, this episode must serve as a cautionary tale. No version of the legislation’s name will make up for a plan that doesn’t speak directly to the anxieties of affected parties. A plan that fails to provide a compelling vision of where we are going, and a robust roadmap about how to get there, will only prove naysayers right while leaving supporters looking for support elsewhere. Aliénor Rougeot is the climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence. The Hill Times

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Call it what you will, the government owes Canadians a plan to ensure the energy transition is fair

No version of the legislation’s name will make up for a plan that doesn’t speak directly to the anxieties of affected parties.

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