Natural Resources committee  Well, one of the other proud legacies that we point to is that we believe we're playing a very important role on reconciliation. How are we doing that? We're taking those workers.... Listen, the indigenous communities, as most of us would know, are the fastest-growing and youngest population in Canada, and we need those workers, so what are we doing?

Natural Resources committee  Two major projects are under way right now, among some of the biggest construction projects in all of Canada, the retrofit of Bruce Nuclear Generating Station and Darlington. Bruce is $13 billion and Darlington is $12 billion. At some point in time, we're going to have to replace Point Lepreau in New Brunswick, because it's coming to its end of life.

Natural Resources committee  Many thousands of them go to work every day to support that industry and retrofit. In the province of Ontario, 60% of the baseload comes from nuclear. When you turn the light switch on in the morning, guess where it's coming from?

Natural Resources committee  The entire workforce, both in the construction and the operation of these plants, is unionized 100%.

Natural Resources committee  Unionized rates in wind and solar are low, and the compensation packages in wind and solar are also low. It's within our industry while they're being constructed, because we erect most of the wind turbines and solar farms. That portion of the construction is highly unionized, but it's pretty simple.

Natural Resources committee  I think it's in all of our best interests as Canadians to ensure that we have energy security. Clearly, the events in the world—I'm no expert on it, so I won't speak to it—are having major impacts on our citizens in Canada, and energy security clearly should be top of mind, I would think.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the question. We have a very good example of this. We represent 1,100 workers who work in an iron ore mine called the Mary River on Baffin Island. It's a very remote mine. It is the richest iron ore body that's currently being mined in the world, and actually one of the greenest iron ore mine operations in the world, believe it or not.

Natural Resources committee  Well, you've heard from some of the other witnesses. There were lots of good ideas put forward today, but as to some of the recommendations, clearly we have to identify.... First and foremost, and we've said this time and time again, we need a labour market analysis to clearly understand in a meaningful way what the current skills base is at this point in time.

Natural Resources committee  Okay. Some of the other areas that we're currently looking at right now and discussing with our owner clients and our contractors are hydrogen development, carbon capture and ammonia development. There are a number of different areas that will allow for the transition. In the case of ammonia, we need it for our fertilizers to grow our food.

Natural Resources committee  We're in our 125th anniversary of our organization, and you don't last 125 years without adjusting. The response to your question would be simple. We have footprints in what I refer to as both the traditional economy and the new economy. Will an oil and gas worker be transitioned, will skill sets be transferable into building a new nuclear plant that doesn't emit anything?

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the question.

Natural Resources committee  The answer is yes. The challenge that we are faced with as representatives of workers in all the sectors.... Let me be clear. We approach this particular issue with the idea that we're going to need all of the energy that Canada can produce. If we are going to electrify the fleets and all those, we're going to need all that energy.

Natural Resources committee  Good afternoon. On behalf of the 55,000 highly skilled members who make up the International Union of Operating Engineers in Canada, I'm honoured to appear before the committee today to talk about this important issue. By way of background, I would note that we are one of 14 affiliates of the Canadian building trades, representing 600,000 men and women who work in the construction sector.