REGINA - Saskatchewan’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre has provided a strong response to the federal government’s Just Transition plans.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Eyre indicated to Saskatchewan’s workers and industries that “we have your back,” and stated that “any legislation that eliminates jobs or that reduces output of the most sustainable products in the world will not be accepted by Saskatchewan”. Eyre also stated in the news release that such legislation “will be met with the tools we have available to protect and preserve both our jobs and our future.”
The statement is in response to proposed legislation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to transition workers to a green economy. The proposed legislation has already seen pushback from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who has expressed concerns about job losses and who recently called for a meeting with Trudeau on the issue.
Minister Eyre’s statement in full is as follows:
“There are more questions than answers regarding the federal government’s proposed “Just Transition” legislation.
“While our expectation is that the federal government has taken into account Saskatchewan’s feedback and perspective, we won’t know until the legislation is tabled this spring.
“Until that time, what we can say as a government to Saskatchewan’s workers and to Saskatchewan’s industries is this: we have your back.
“There are over 70,000 people directly and indirectly employed by our agriculture and energy sectors – sectors which are vital to not only our province, but also to our country and indeed the world. Our agriculture sector is the most sustainable in the world, producing more product and doing so with fewer emissions. The same goes for our energy sector, which continues to innovate the extraction and refinement of oil and gas, responsibly and ethically.
“The men and women in these sectors are literally working to put food on the table and keep the lights on. At a time when governments in every jurisdiction are working to provide food and energy security, we expect that the federal government has taken into account our sectors’ ability to provide just that.
“While we will be watching the federal government’s next moves very closely, any legislation that eliminates jobs or that reduces output of the most sustainable products in the world will not be accepted by Saskatchewan and will be met with the tools we have available to protect and preserve both our jobs and our future.”
