Natural Resources committee  That is the question. We need to act now. The blueprint has been laid. The investment dollars are going to go where the work is, where the tax credits are and where there's a skilled workforce. Those are attractions for businesses. We have a skilled workforce up here. Canadians right across the country want to go to work.

Natural Resources committee  I can tell you that in the building trades—I'll speak specifically about the IBEW, our organization—when we consider our completion rate, which is from the time a person starts their apprenticeship to the time they actually become licenced, we're in the 95th percentile. However, when you look at provincial studies across the country, you see that the percentage rates, only for hours during their apprenticeship on the job and hours in the classroom, are less than 50%.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the question. That is what we face. I've spoken to my members across the country in the oil and gas sector and the coal sector. They're concerned about that exact example. I come from a manufacturing town in the auto sector. Everything has left. The intention is to make sure these workers aren't going to a Manpower centre or going from well-paid jobs to data entry jobs.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you. Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, committee members, fellow witnesses and guests. I'd like to thank you for allowing me to present here today on the study of Canada's clean energy plans in the context of North American energy transformation. As mentioned, I am here today presenting on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, or IBEW, which represents 820,000 active and retired members throughout North America and almost 70,000 here in Canada.