This article was published by The Energy Mix on April 16, 2024.
By Mitchell Beer and Christopher Bonasia
The Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, Bill C-50, finally passed the House of Commons late Monday, after a 12-hour voting marathon triggered by more than 100 amendments put forward by the Conservative opposition.
The Conservatives had sought to block the bill by bringing forward an overwhelming number of amendments that would create an impossible procedural logjam. They initially proposed nearly 20,000 of them, prompting the governing Liberals to claim they were generated with the help of artificial intelligence to slow down the process. The Conservatives denied the allegation, writes the Globe and Mail.
“I don’t think we’ve ever seen that in the history of Parliament,” said Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who sponsored the bill.
Late Monday, the legislative milestone was hailed by trade union and environmental groups that had worked hard to push it across the finish line.
“Bill C-50 will ensure that sustainable jobs are good union jobs, with good pay and benefits. It will create new sustainable jobs, help shift energy workers into sustainable jobs, and decarbonize good jobs to make them sustainable,” the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) said in a release.
“Workers and unions were incredibly disappointed that Conservatives chose to fight the inclusion of worker voices in shaping a sustainable future built on good, unionized, net-zero jobs.”
“We’re pleased that the legislation was improved to require greater government transparency, accountability, and consistency in supporting workers and communities during the shift to a low-carbon economy,” said Aliénor Rougeot, program manager, climate and energy at Environmental Defence Canada.”
But “this bill has already been significantly delayed by politicians who shamefully prioritized political games over helping workers and their families prepare for the future,” she added. “It’s imperative that the legislation move swiftly through the Senate and is adopted before the summer.”
Introduced last June and meant to create a framework for ensuring a fair transition for Canadian workers as the economy shifts to net-zero, the Sustainable Jobs Act is seen as an important part of Canada’s emissions reduction plan. It would create a council of stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples and unionized workers, and has been received with cautious optimism from groups, including the Canadian Labour Congress and United Steelworkers, that want workers kept at the centre of all decision-making.
Some of the mandates in the bill are among the key policy areas identified in the supply-and-confidence agreement under which New Democratic MPs support the minority Liberals in Parliament. The Conservatives called the bill an oil and gas job-killer, while the government continued to promote it as a path toward more jobs in renewable energy.
On April 11, even after whittling down the changes proposed by the Conservatives, the House was faced with a still-daunting 200 amendments before Speaker Greg Fergus ruled nearly half of them inadmissible.
“We’re going to be here as long as it takes,” Government House Leader Steve MacKinnon told reporters that day. Then, addressing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, he added: “Your childish obstruction and antics, hopefully, will allow you to not do a fundraiser somewhere tonight and be here with your members to stand up against this very, very progressive piece of legislation that creates opportunities for Canadian workers.”
At 15 minutes per amendment, Members of Parliament dug in for a long night, as finishing the vote could clock in at around 16 hours, reported iPolitics. In the end, MPs sped through the process in a mere 12.
“After months of delays and filibustering by Members of Parliament who seem more interested in protecting the interests of polluting multinationals than Canadian workers, the legislation was finally debated and good amendments were secured,” Rougeot posted on LinkedIn.
But “it’s not over yet!” she added, noting that one more vote on the bill would be followed by “a journey through the Senate.”
In the CLC news release, President Bea Bruske urged the Senate to pass the bill quickly and get the proposed Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council up and running. “Workers have the expertise to help decarbonize our economy, and this bill will guarantee unions and workers seats at the table,” she said.
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