Debates of Feb. 8th, 2017

Job Losses in the Energy Sector

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his impassioned comments about the great people of the province of Alberta. I know when Newfoundland and Labrador went through a similar existential crisis back in 1991, Alberta welcomed so many tens of thousands of Newfoundlanders and their families with open arms, who helped build the oil sands and have great jobs there. Many of them are now struggling, returning home to Newfoundland and Labrador looking for new employment.

Does the member not appreciate the value of our having approved pipelines that are going to employ 25,000 skilled labourers working in constructing these pipelines? Will he not at least acknowledge that these are steps in the right direction? Does he not agree that we need to get our resources to market? These jobs are going to be valuable. They are jobs in the very skilled trades that are being laid off in the oil sands at the present time.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his comments, and his recognition that the impacts of the energy sector are not just felt in Alberta but across the country. That is something that all members would do well to note.

In answer to his comments about pipelines, it is a good thing that the government has approved the expansion of certain existing pipelines. However, we need new pipelines as well. We need northern gateway. It does not make sense for the government to shut down northern gateway, a pipeline that effectively went through the same process as other pipelines that were approved.

The government needs to understand the value of these critical pipeline infrastructures, northern gateway, Keystone XL, and energy east, and advocate for them. Rather, it arbitrarily selected some pipelines over others and called it a compromise. That is not a compromise based on any sensible principle at all.

Let us stand up for jobs in every possible way we can, and reverse the bad policies that I talked about.

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments.

I want to come back to what I was saying earlier about the future of fossil fuels in the world and not just in Canada. I think that my colleague and I have very little in common except that we may be the same age. That being said, does he see positive future prospects for fossil fuels in 60 years, for example? Does he think that the government should continue to make massive investments in these energies or, as many of my colleagues have proposed, should the government turn to energies of the future that will certainly be used around the world 60 years from now? I do not think fossil fuels are the way of the future.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, maybe something has been lost in the translation, but the member talked about whether the government should continue to invest in this area. That is not what we are asking for. Rather, we are asking for the government to get out of the way and allow those private sector investments to happen.

I would say this with respect to what the future of fossil fuels would look like. We do not know exactly what that evolving future will be. It will involve significant technological change and advancement, just as we have seen in the oil sands over the last number of years.

The incredible advances with respect to environmental quality, and the other kinds of advances we have seen in the energy sector, I believe, will continue at that pace. I look forward to the continuing development of the energy sector, and the continuing expansion of technology.

Alberta will continue to be an energy hub long into the future if we have government policies that get it right. We will not benefit from Liberal and NDP policies that want to prematurely shut off our sector before the technology is ready, and in the process chase those jobs to other jurisdictions that do not have the same standards when it comes to safety, employment, or the environment.

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I am a little confused because I am hearing that the member opposite wants the government to get out of the way, yet wants it to pre-approve a pipeline. I do not see how that is getting out of the way. I do not know how pre-approving pipelines, undermining the regulatory system, and having no action on environmental policies gets a pipeline built. Historically, it has not.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to seem too pedantic, but the process of pipeline approval is the process of government allowing or not allowing a private sector organization to undertake a privately-financed project. By definition, that is a question of the government choosing whether or not to get out of the way.

To be clear, we are in favour of the process, but we think that the government needs to advocate for these projects. It needs to support these projects through that process. That is what we have not seen from the government. That is what we need.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today to contribute to this debate on the Alberta jobs crisis.

The constituency that I represent, Calgary Confederation, is a riding located in the inner city of Calgary. It is smack dab in the middle, just north of the Bow River. It is a wonderful riding, and there are wonderful people who live there. They work hard and have great families. The population is approximately 112,000 people, and many of those people have been deeply affected by the downturn in the oil industry.

There have been massive lay-offs throughout my riding due not only to the price of oil but also due to the unnecessary taxation implemented by both the provincial NDP government and the federal Liberals on an industry that is already on its knees. The implementation of the carbon tax is an attack on an industry just trying to survive.

To understand the utter devastation that has taken place in the Alberta jobs market, one only needs to look at the Liberal government's record since taking office. While the national unemployment rate has remained steady at 7%, the unemployment rate in Calgary has risen dramatically to around 10%. Behind those unemployment numbers are real people, real families, and they are suffering. Even those with jobs today live under incredible stress not knowing if they will become one of the tens of thousands of laid-off workers in the oil industry.

My staff, in my constituency office, Lou and Pat, are on the front lines. They have been receiving calls that just tear me apart. It sometimes leaves them emotionally drained and visibly shaken.

There are parents, who are calling in, sobbing and telling of their children who have been sent away to family in other provinces, because they cannot afford to feed and house them in Calgary.

I went door knocking during the Christmas break, and I met one man who was ashamed to let me share his name. He told me of not finding work, depleting his family savings, losing his home, and still to this day cannot find work. He was so embarrassed by the situation that he sent his wife and three children to Manitoba to stay with his in-laws, so that he could shield the reality of his family's situation from his young children. Imagine being ashamed to be in front of your own children.

Another father almost had the same experience. He moved his wife and children to Saskatchewan, a province where at least the Saskatchewan Party and Premier Brad Wall get it. They strongly oppose a carbon tax, and I strongly applaud Premier Brad Wall for trying to convince the Liberal government otherwise.

Another constituent called into the office, and when we asked him his address, he gave us his licence number as his address. He lives in a car.

I have had two people mention suicide as an option if they do not get some help from the government.

The tragic stories go on, and the hope continues to fade. Hopefully, one day things will improve. We pray for the price of oil to go up again. We pray that the government listens to the people of Alberta, the people of Canada.

I implore all members to remember the people behind these unemployment numbers. Each person has a unique story, but they share the same challenges, putting a roof over their heads and food on the table. It is what every Canadian wants and every Canadian deserves.

The Liberal government must stop taxing Albertans into poverty. Let us stop destroying their primary industries. Better yet, let us stop ignoring them and their situation. Let us get Alberta back to work, and let us do it soon.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the now Minister of Veterans Affairs held an ask me anything meeting. In it somebody asked him if he was anti-development, if he was going to stave off the concerns of constituents who think that he might not support pipelines, or if he was inconsistent. He said that he would pound on the table to support pipelines.

Yet, the member, when he came into the House, and had the opportunity to vote in support of pipeline development and Energy East, rejected that. He voted against it, so there was no pounding on the table.

Can my colleague talk about the detrimental impact of the Liberals' inconsistency on support for the energy sector, and what that has meant for investment?

I know my colleague talks to a lot of people who work in the sector. Could he talk a little bit about how the Liberals' policy in terms of changing the regulatory environment has shied away investment?

Could he also talk about why it is so important for Canada to lower our taxes and become more competitive, especially in light of the fact that the American administration has said that it wants to move toward a lower regulatory burden to encourage investment in that area?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is a lot to talk about in five minutes. I was hoping to get some more questions as well from the opposition.

What the Liberal government has put in place with regard to policy, regulations, and taxes has kept industry out of Alberta. It has kept industry out of Canada.

I talk to the people in the industry daily. I go door-to-door, and I ask people what they do for a living. I would say that 50% of the time they indicate to me that they used to work, or they do work in the oil industry. They have brought their industry and their work down to quite a slow pace in the hope that the government will listen to them, and react in a way, so we can urgently and quickly develop the pipelines. They hope the government will talk to people like the mayor of Montreal, and convince Quebeckers, convince all Canadians that Alberta's oil is beneficial to every Canadian.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. opposition colleague and ask him a very simple question.

We have heard a lot of questions about the federal carbon tax this evening. Does my colleague realize that the federal carbon tax will come into effect in early 2018? Does he know that a carbon tax has already been implemented by Alberta's provincial government?

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I invite the hon. member to come to my riding, come door knocking with me, and talk to those people who are unemployed, people who are suicidal, people who have children in other provinces because they cannot take care of them. I implore him to come and listen, and talk to them about the carbon tax, which is a huge issue in my province, in fact, in this country. It is a burden on industry and our oil patch. It keeps investors away.

I invite the hon. member to come to my constituency. I will give you a tour. I will feed you. I invite anybody to come to my riding to talk to the people in my riding. It is incredibly emotional.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I appreciate the invitation, but I think he was talking to the member across the way. In that case, he means the hon. member. He does not want to say “you” unless he is speaking to the chair.

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Hull—Aylmer.

I am proud to stand today to bring the voices of my constituents and all Manitobans to this debate. My riding of Kildonan—St. Paul to the north of the city of Winnipeg is made up of four communities divided down the middle by the mighty Red River.

I am proud to say that Kildonan—St. Paul is a picture of Canadian diversity. In North and West Kildonan, new Canadians have found a home and adapted. There are retirees, mineral workers, pipefitters, manufacturers, small business owners, bankers, waiters, students, and tradespeople all across the riding. It is a diverse and growing workforce.

This includes a small and dynamic oil sector. In the last 15 years, Manitoba's oil industry has grown from 10,000 barrels a day in 2003 to over 50,000 barrels a day a decade later. However, investment has dropped significantly in the last two years. Manitobans have lost their jobs and have been left wondering where their next paycheque will come from, like many Albertans.

As a former geoscientist, I have experienced first-hand the ups and downs of Canada's resource economy. I know that sometimes times are very tough. It was with that experience that I approached my role as minister of employment, workforce development, and labour. I saw that families were hurting in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and in my home province of Manitoba.

If we look at the statistics, as of November 2016, employment in oil and gas was down 11.3%. For upstream businesses, it was down 23.4%. In hard rock, it was down 7.3%.

That is why we extended El benefits to hard-hit workers in regions all across the country. We made the program easier to access and extended the amount eligible workers could claim, up to 70 weeks for some workers, an investment of $2.7 billion. I also announced over $200 million in additional funding for workforce training in the Prairies, and over $73 million for work integrated learning. Training provides an opportunity for long-term gain.

This January, the Conference Board of Canada recognized that Manitoba's young indigenous people present an enormous economic opportunity for Canada. Strong training programs are the key to unlocking this population's potential. Last fall, our government announced the approval of three pipelines. The construction of these pipelines will create over 20,000 jobs. These pipelines will make Canada's energy sector more competitive internationally and will lead to more jobs for Canadians.

Our government made a historic commitment of $120 billion in our infrastructure plan that will put Canadians to work to rebuild our nation's roads, hospitals, and clean water. This plan will put people to work and prepare our country for the decades ahead. In Alberta, we approved over 127 projects worth $1.36 billion, and 70% of those projects are under way.

I am proud to say that our government has started to make a difference for workers affected by the downturn in the resource sector. Last October, the Bank of Canada reported that the energy sector was beginning to rebound. We see that in the commodity prices in both oil and gas and in hard rock.

When times were tough, I am proud to say that we as a government supported those people hardest hit. We approved pipelines to create more jobs. We invested in skills development and training to prepare our workforce for the future. Our government understands that all Canadians benefit from strong economies in every province. We have and will continue to support Canada's resource sector.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague across the way talked about the extension of the EI program, but I want to go back in time and refresh her memory. When she was the minister of employment, the city of Edmonton was shut out of that extension for many months despite a huge increase in unemployment. In fact, the member for Edmonton Centre said there was a 33% year over year increase, but the member for Edmonton Centre said that 33%, a one-third increase in unemployment was not drastic enough.

I asked this question twice of the member when she was minister, and twice she blew off Edmonton. It was not until there was an increase in unemployment of 78% year over year that the government finally relented and extended the EI benefits. If the Liberals are so concerned, why did it take the Premier of Alberta, the Mayor of Edmonton, the Edmonton Conservative caucus, and even the NDP member from Edmonton to stand up and demand changes, while two Liberal members from Edmonton did nothing? We asked the member when she was minister repeatedly and she did nothing until there was a 78% increase. I would like to know why.

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we are very proud that we were able to step up and provide significant investments to those areas of the country that were hardest hit. This was based on criteria that were identified in 15 EI regions on a map that was established by the previous government, and in a process that both the Conservative side and our side understand. When we look at areas that are divided like that, some areas fall outside of the boundary and others do not. However, there were many parts of the EI system that included every single Canadian no matter where they were from, which we addressed in those changes.

However, the most important part is investing in skills and training, giving people a chance to find their next opportunity, and also investing in infrastructure, which creates real jobs in the present tense, as we see the recovery of the resource sector across Canada.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member opposite has given us a lot of numbers tonight on what her government has done, what she has done. I would like to give her some numbers back.

Many in my riding of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner who used to donate to our food bank now find it necessary to use that service. In 2014, our food bank served a total of 5,300 clients, 651 of them children, representing 868 households. In 2016, that number rose to 17,282 clients with 6,600 of them being children, representing 1,855 households. It is almost a tripling of the poundage of food.

So far the policies of the Liberal government have failed and they continue to fail Canadian families, making life more expensive and killing jobs. I would like to ask the member opposite when this House will learn what plan the government has to turn things around for the people in my riding and the people in Alberta.

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this crash hurt Alberta's very strong economy. It hurt deeply an economy that supported all of us across the country by the wealth generated from one of the most sophisticated high-tech sectors in the world.

We can all be proud of the geoscientists, the engineers, the pipefitters, the tradespeople, all of the scientists who have made Canada the best in the world in the resource sector.

What we can do to help families is what we have done already. We have cut taxes and provided the Canada child benefit. Families have seen a benefit already. Not only that, in the long term they will see more for education and investments in infrastructure, which will create jobs.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be participating in this very serious take-note debate on the job losses in the energy sector.

This debate is definitely about the situation in Alberta, but we could also talk about the situation in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. We know that this is really serious.

Before talking about this issue, I would like to point out that when I visit schools in my riding I often talk to young people about the really special times in my life as a parliamentarian when I have had the opportunity to participate in important debates. When I think of that, I remember the debates we had about Attawapiskat. Members from all parties took part in these debates, which lasted until midnight. We heard some very moving and important speeches. We saw parliamentarians go a little further and elevate the debate.

I am also thinking of the debates on medical assistance in dying, in which members from all parties shared their values and deep feelings with other parliamentarians and the Canadians who listen to us and read Hansard.

This evening, with a few exceptions, such as my colleague opposite from Alberta who just spoke, most people have unfortunately used this occasion as an opportunity to score points, to play petty politics, to give sanctimonious speeches.

This is a very serious matter. I am a proud Quebecker. I am a proud Canadian. Every time I hear that my brothers and sisters in Alberta are facing huge economic challenges, it really upsets me. I want to help my fellow Canadians from Alberta. I think that is really and truly what all members here in the House want.

I know there are a number of responses we could give and a number of things we could propose as the government. The opposition party, the third party, and all parliamentarians can make suggestions during this debate as to how we could make a difference. It is important to set politics aside, come up with ideas, and recognize successes and failures.

One such success is definitely the fact that our government provided immediate assistance to Albertans during this crisis. We made substantial amounts of money available to the Alberta government. We invested in R and D to ensure that, when the economy recovers, we will be in the best possible position and the economy will be even more diversified in Alberta.

We approved pipelines to be able to bring resources that not only are from Alberta, but also are very important to Canada's economic development. This will make it possible to export them to other global markets.

I hope that we can raise the level of debate somewhat for the time we have left by proposing ideas and recognizing what works.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have to make note of this. The words “petty politics” were brought up by the member across the way on this particular issue, and this is about anything but that. I represent the oil industry in Manitoba, as small as it may be compared to Saskatchewan and Alberta. My colleague from Kildonan—St. Paul mentioned this a while ago as well. I probably should not say that she knows something about unemployment, but I will.

It is a situation that has risen in my constituency as well. There are many people in western and southwest Manitoba and our small oil field who are suffering because they do not have jobs either. Camps were built in some of these communities and they are completely empty now. Hotels were built that are virtually empty now and struggling to make a go of it.

I have to raise this issue. This is about people's jobs. This is about my colleagues in Alberta mainly, as well as some from Saskatchewan, and I am here to support them because I believe that they are suffering terribly. My children are in Alberta and I know how desperate things are, particularly in a city like Calgary, where 30% of the office space downtown is empty. That is real. That is not about petty politics.

I would ask the member if he would like to retract any of that. He was looking for solid solutions. He talked about the money that Liberals have put into the economy in Alberta, but on January 1, they started peeling that back with the carbon tax.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when I mentioned that, I said, “What is the important thing for us to do?” I suggest to all members, let us not try to demonize each other. This is not about us in this place. This is about the people of Alberta who are finding themselves in tremendous difficulty. What I am saying is that rather than trying to demonize each other and say it is all bad, we have to recognize that there are some things that certainly were not the cause of the government. The world price on oil was not the cause of this government or the previous government.

One of the great things was that we were able to get the Keystone XL pipeline. We were supportive right from the get-go. We approved the Trans Mountain pipeline. We are working very closely with our partners to try to make sure we can create jobs and opportunities in Alberta.

As I said in my speech, which I hope the member recognizes, not only are we doing all of that but we are also making sure that we are investing in the future, so that as the economy picks up again, it is an even more dynamic, more diversified, more exciting Alberta economy, because what is good for Alberta is good for me and good for all of us.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my MP for his participation. I am calling him my MP because, when the House is sitting, I am pleased to live in his riding.

I want to pick up on what he said. Workers who lose their jobs in Alberta, Quebec, the Maritimes, or anywhere else in Canada are all in the same dreadful situation, and the first place they turn for emergency assistance is employment insurance.

How is it that, even though the government plans to extend the number of weeks of benefits, as we speak, six out of 10 workers are still not eligible for employment insurance benefits? When will the government change the eligibility requirements so that those who are unfortunate enough to lose their jobs will at least be able to get some assistance?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question and comments, and for making an excellent choice about where to live while he is here in Ottawa. Hull—Aylmer is truly a beautiful riding, but I am straying from my hon. colleague's question.

You raise an excellent point, but even if we were to change the system so that everyone who is out of work has access to it, we would still not be helping Alberta workers. Employment insurance is not going to solve the problem. Jobs are. We need to create a climate conducive to a vibrant economy.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Once again, I would remind the member to direct his comments to the Chair and to avoid using “you” when he is not addressing the Chair. I do not believe he was addressing the Chair in this case.

The hon. member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with my colleague, the member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay.

I am pleased to rise in the House tonight to speak as part of this important take-note debate. As the jobs critic for the NDP, I recognize that this is a debate about jobs in our country. It is about the devastating job losses in the energy sector and the devastating impacts of boom and bust economies. It is about the need for our federal government to stand up for Canadian workers.

The collapse of oil prices has had a devastating impact on workers in Alberta. It has also greatly affected workers in Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and communities in my province and across the country.

Today we have heard many emotional testimonials about how difficult the situation is on the ground.

Like many people, I also have family members in Alberta who have worked in the oil sector and have also felt the impacts. It has been devastating for many.

It is important tonight that as part of this discussion we recognize it did not just happen. These hardships are the direct result of successive Liberal and Conservative governments doing little to diversify Canada's energy sector. Both the Liberals and Conservatives have failed to embrace a definition of energy which goes beyond oil, natural gas, and coal. These hardships are also a direct result of successive governments that have failed to diversify not just our energy economy but our resource-based economy more broadly.

I am from a mining town and we know what a boom and bust economy means for us. Our region also knows the importance of value-added jobs. Right now we are on the verge of losing hundreds of value-added jobs, particularly in the mining industry in our part of the country. People in Flin Flon and Thompson are very concerned, afraid, worried, and angry. Some months ago people in The Pas also faced insecurity. While there has been an interim solution, people continue to be concerned about the future of their resource sector, namely forestry.

In all of these cases what has been clear is that the federal government has been nowhere to be found to stand up for Canadian workers in our communities, much like in communities in Alberta and elsewhere. In fact, in our north, the federal government is nowhere to be found, not just in the communities I mentioned but also when it comes to Churchill, the Port of Churchill, or infrastructure jobs that were also committed to our communities.

Tonight we are talking about a situation that is increasingly impacting workers across the country. The reality is that the jobs situation in Canada is worsening. Over the last number of years, and it was certainly the case this past year, we have been creating more part-time, unstable work. Over the last year, full-time jobs only grew by 0.5%. This is related to job losses in the oil sector. More and more Canadians are struggling in precarious work. Many of them are young people.

That is why less than a year ago we launched a tour on the rise of precarious work in the millennial generation. We took our tour to Alberta. We went to Edmonton and Calgary. We heard heartbreaking stories about the challenges that young people were facing in these communities in difficult times.

I remember in Calgary we heard from an MLA, a minister in the government. She talked about how Calgary was often seen as a place of hope for many young Canadians and now even if one was from Alberta, that individual could barely make it by.

In Edmonton we heard from a young woman, a freelance journalist, who talked about the economic insecurity that she faced and how recently one of her bosses was told that if she wanted to find greater economic security, she should just get married.

The reality is that there is a way forward. That is by standing up for value-added jobs, standing up to companies that want to rip and ship our resources, standing up for a just transition.

We have heard tonight that research shows that an investment of $1 million in coal creates seven jobs. That same investment of $1 million creates 14 jobs in the solar industry and 17 in building retrofits.

People across our country are rising up to these challenges. They are demanding better from their government and we in the NDP stand with them.

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of questions I will try to roll into one. We talk about jobs and how important they are, about the stability of jobs, and about training for good-paying, middle-class jobs. As we have heard here tonight, our government approved three pipelines that created those jobs.

I do not think anyone would argue that innovation and the diversification of economies is important for any country, including Canada, and we are certainly working toward that. The oil sands, particularly, and the resource sector are leaders in that area.

Are you suggesting that the 25,000 jobs that will be available for Canadians are not jobs that are supported by the NDP?