Bill C-50

Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act

An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy

This enactment establishes an accountability, transparency and engagement framework to facilitate and promote economic growth, the creation of sustainable jobs and support for workers and communities in Canada in the shift to a net-zero economy. Accordingly, the enactment
(a) provides that the Governor in Council may designate a Minister for the purposes of the Act as well as specified Ministers;
(b) establishes a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide the Minister and the specified Ministers, through a process of social dialogue, with independent advice with respect to measures to foster the creation of sustainable jobs, measures to support workers, communities and regions in the shift to a net-zero economy and matters referred to it by the Minister;
(c) requires the tabling of a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan in each House of Parliament no later than 2026 and by the end of each subsequent period of five years;
(d) provides for the establishment of a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to support the implementation of the Act; and
(e) provides for a review of the Act within ten years of its coming into force and by the end of each subsequent period of ten years.

Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I go door knocking in my riding quite a bit and run into former co-workers, retired co-workers and people who used to work in the industry all the time. I can say that not a single one of them is proud of what happened under the NDP-Liberal government. Not a single one of them is satisfied with how it went down. They are not satisfied with the jobs and retraining. Frankly, even though the government pledged that it would spend $100 million to support these communities, the government has never reached that target. It betrayed our communities.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, touting oil is not okay.

Since the first COP I attended, the 2015 event in Paris, I have heard people everywhere talking about just transition. That is the term that is being used internationally.

Does my colleague understand why the legislation does not use that term? Is it because someone is afraid of possible puns involving the Prime Minister's first name?

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that ever since oil was discovered in Alberta back in 1949, we have had central governments in this country try to control it. No other region in this country has had a federal government seek to control its destiny more than western Canada given its oil resources.

Quebeckers stand up for their resources, and I applaud them for that. We should all stand up for our resources. I will not apologize for standing up for our strong oil and gas sector, a sector that is investing in clean energy, renewable energy and carbon capture. I see it in my riding, which is working to sequester CO2 emissions today and is doing a great job. It is a sustainable industry. Let us support it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Competition Bureau found today that after eight years, the power of corporate oligopolistic giants is growing at the expense of Canadians. It is in a report, which said:

Concentration rose in the most concentrated industries, and the number of highly concentrated industries increased;

The largest firms in industries are being less and less challenged by their smaller [firms];

Fewer firms have entered industries overall, suggesting many industries have become less dynamic....

This has—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

We have a point of order from the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is all fascinating, and the member can ask about it tomorrow, but we are debating Bill C-50 and there is absolutely nothing about it in the question.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I will allow the hon. leader of the official opposition to complete the question.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is for the member who intervened, who does not live in his own riding and has forgotten about the people in Timmins.

Finally, the report states that the consequence of this is that profits and markups are up while Canadian competition is down.

These are the findings of the Competition Bureau's report today. They are part of the reason we have smaller paycheques and higher prices.

Why is the government siding with big, powerful, protected corporate oligarchs rather than with Canadian consumers and workers?

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the Liberal government has always sided with big businesses. It has always sided with the oligopolies, whether it is the grocery chains, the big banks or the big railway companies, which are hurting western farmers who are just trying to get their grain to market. The Liberal power structure that has existed in this country has always been backed by big business. It is going to take a Conservative government, under a strong Conservative leader, to break the monopolies, bring true competition to Canada and open up this country for real economic growth.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the member's comments recently as he talked about the transition to renewable and clean jobs. Are we to believe that the reason the Premier of Alberta put a moratorium on renewable energy projects is that they were so wildly unpopular in Alberta? Is that what we are to believe?

Would it not be the case that there were so many projects that the premier became afraid that they were—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

The same policies doubled energy prices.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to ask a question. The Leader of the Opposition is providing his own MP with the answer. I cannot even hear myself, as he is saying it so loud.

Would it be possible to repeat that, or—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I will ask the hon. member to answer the question because we are a little over time.

The hon. member for Sturgeon River—Parkland.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the member was part of a government in the province of Ontario that oversaw a doubling of power prices because of its flawed policies. He was a part of that government and —

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

We have a point of order from the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.