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

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the member has been here a long time and will hopefully not be here much longer, but he has been here long enough to know that one cannot say indirectly what one cannot say directly.

He knows that. He should know better. He needs to apologize or leave the chamber.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Would the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay please retract and apologize for the usage of that term?

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

Mr. Speaker, yes, certainly, I retract it, but I will now go back to the point—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

I cannot hear anything, so I would not know.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is very telling because we did have to listen to eight hours of screaming, shouting and intimidation—

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Saskatoon—University.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Mr. Speaker, you have asked for an apology and you have yet to receive it from the member. It is on his watch to deliver that apology and for you to enforce it or to eject the individual.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Still on the same point of order, I see the hon. House leader for the NDP.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the member retracted. I would ask members of the Conservative Party to actually listen to his speech and allow him to continue.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on that same point of order, I would draw your attention to the Debates from February 12, 1997, at page 8014, 8016 and 8017, in which the Speaker found that the unwillingness of the then member for Fraser Valley East to fully retract and apologize without conditions constituted a breach of the authority of the Chair and subsequently named the hon. member, pursuant to Standing Order 11.

I suggest that this is a similar case to that.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Let us try once again to retract it and apologize so that we can move on.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay, go ahead so that I can hear it.

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

Mr. Speaker, you did hear it before, so you will hear it again: I retract and I apologize.

I certainly apologize, as well, for anybody who had to watch the behaviour of the Conservatives who shut down our committee with screaming, shouting and intimidation for eight straight hours. The reason they did that was so the public would not hear these facts, which is why we have to deal with these constant interruptions. When we talk about facts with Conservatives, they are threatened by them.

I think I made a very clear—

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

We are saying not to have conditions to the apology and the retraction.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will say this for the third time: I retract it. I apologize.

Can I continue?