“We have a duty to take bold action to address the climate crisis, to build a strong economy for all Canadians, while creating a work environment that lets women thrive and closes the gender pay gap.
By embracing a Just Transition, we can create the green energy jobs of the future and attract more women into skilled trades.”
Carol Hughes, MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, took the opportunity to speak in the House of Commons today to push the government to deliver on their promise of Just Transition legislation, and to ensure that the legislation focuses on ensuring women are part of that energy transition.
Just Transition legislation is conceptually designed to prepare the Canadian labour force to move towards a low-carbon economy by minimizing the impacts of market transitions on workers by providing training and retraining opportunities, ensuring companies retain and redeploy workers, and providing security for energy workers nearing retirement. It’s designed to ensure that labour is treated as a priority while we tackle climate change.
However, despite their promise to deliver Just Transition legislation in 2019, the Federal government has yet to table it.
“This new economy can lift women and their families out of poverty, providing them with training and sustainable job opportunities currently not offered in our traditional natural resources sector,” said Hughes.
“This work must start now! Just Transition legislation should focus on delivering a credible plan for clean energy jobs, provide training programs for women in the industry, and create affordable childcare spaces that responds to the reality of shift work.”
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