Thank you so much, Mr. Chair, and I thank the committee for their patience on this one.
Amendment BQ-5 proposed to amend clause 120 of Bill C-33 by adding subsection (3) after line 30 on page 77. I move that this amendment be amended by replacing “Regulations made under paragraph (1)(a) must prohibit” with the following: “That the Governor in Council may make regulations respecting the prohibition of”, and the following after subsection (1.1): “(1.2) In making regulations under subsection (1.1), the Governor in Council must consult with relevant trade unions on ways to protect port workers who will be affected by the regulations, including by providing for continued collective bargaining, for the respect of collective agreements, for the creation of alternative opportunities in the marine transportation sector and for pension bridging; (1.3) regulations made under subsection (1.1) must provide for the prohibition of the loading and unloading of thermal coal to and from ships in a port no later than December 31, 2030; (1.4) if no regulations are made under subsection (1.1) within 48 months after the day on which this section comes into force, the minister must cause a report stating the reasons that no regulations have been made and establishing a schedule for making regulations to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 10 days on which that House is sitting after the expiry of that 48-month period.”
As I was saying earlier, Mr. Chair, I think the NDP and the Bloc are on the same page on this, and this is an opportunity to provide fairness for workers and still allow the government their obligation to phase coal out by 2030.