Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it.
I just want to echo the comments from many of our colleagues here this afternoon. I very much agree with Mr. Badawey. I believe most of this work is already being done. When I look at proposed paragraph 120(3)(1.2), I have to ask the question: Doesn't the government already consult with the unions?
I'm quite sure that if we look at the last number of strikes at the port of Vancouver, of course we'll see that the government already consults with the unions. I don't know why we would infuse this legislation with something that's already happening. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
In all my conversations with the ILWU on the 350 jobs, and that's not talking about the jobs in Thunder Bay and Alberta and so on and so forth, not that those aren't important jobs.... I don't see why this subamendment is going to make a whole lot of impact going forward. I think the conversation needs to be about 2030 and ensuring that these folks with the good-paying jobs have security through until 2030. I think that's what needs to be the conversation. Accelerating the phase-out, I think, is an issue. I believe it to be an issue.
Let's get a plan to ensure that thermal coal is phased out by 2030, but let's not accelerate it. Let's ensure that folks can have some kind of job security going forward.
Mr. Chair, in my opinion and my opinion only, I believe most of this work either has been done or is being done as we speak. I don't think we need a subamendment to this effect.
Thank you, Chair.