Story by Bryan Passifiume • Yesterday - National Post
Despite industry transition plans that advocates fear will eventually phase out Canada’s oil and gas industry, government projections show the sector is short tens of thousands of workers.
Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan speaks during a news conference,
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 in Ottawa.
Those numbers were contained in a response to an order paper question submitted by Bow River MP Martin Shields, who asked Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan to elaborate on comments made earlier this year to senators saying Canada “needs more” oil and gas workers, not less.
During the red chamber’s Feb. 9 question period in which O’Regan was invited to take part, Newfoundland and Labrador Senator David M. Wells asked the minister how the government’s “just transition” strategy to shift away from carbon-based energy would impact his province’s energy workers.
“Can you tell us how that phasing-out of the oil and gas industry is ‘just’ for the Newfoundland and Labrador workers on all our offshore rigs, all our on-shore suppliers,” Wells asked O’Regan, adding that workers have invested in education to “learn about their craft,” and are well-paid to do so.
“I can’t stand the phrase ‘just transition,’ I’ve said this for years,” replied O’Regan, who represents the Newfoundland riding of St. John’s South—Mount Pearl.
“‘Just transition’ is a word that workers hate and my constituents don’t like, so I don’t like it either.”
O’Regan countered that “just transition” isn’t about phasing out the oil and gas industry.
“The oil and gas industry is going to be with us for quite some time, and I would argue proudly so,” O’Regan said.
“I am proud of what we have done in this country and what our workers have accomplished in this country.”
Describing Canada’s place as one of the world’s top oil and gas producers as a “remarkable accomplishment,” the minister admitted that his government’s policies “sometimes, frequently, isolate the very people that we need to lower emissions and build-up renewables, which is the workers of this industry,” he said.
Those numbers were contained in a response to an order paper question submitted by Bow River MP Martin Shields, who asked Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan to elaborate on comments made earlier this year to senators saying Canada “needs more” oil and gas workers, not less.
During the red chamber’s Feb. 9 question period in which O’Regan was invited to take part, Newfoundland and Labrador Senator David M. Wells asked the minister how the government’s “just transition” strategy to shift away from carbon-based energy would impact his province’s energy workers.
“Can you tell us how that phasing-out of the oil and gas industry is ‘just’ for the Newfoundland and Labrador workers on all our offshore rigs, all our on-shore suppliers,” Wells asked O’Regan, adding that workers have invested in education to “learn about their craft,” and are well-paid to do so.
“I can’t stand the phrase ‘just transition,’ I’ve said this for years,” replied O’Regan, who represents the Newfoundland riding of St. John’s South—Mount Pearl.
“‘Just transition’ is a word that workers hate and my constituents don’t like, so I don’t like it either.”
O’Regan countered that “just transition” isn’t about phasing out the oil and gas industry.
“The oil and gas industry is going to be with us for quite some time, and I would argue proudly so,” O’Regan said.
“I am proud of what we have done in this country and what our workers have accomplished in this country.”
Describing Canada’s place as one of the world’s top oil and gas producers as a “remarkable accomplishment,” the minister admitted that his government’s policies “sometimes, frequently, isolate the very people that we need to lower emissions and build-up renewables, which is the workers of this industry,” he said.
“I need more workers in the oil and gas industry, not less. We need more.”
In the response to Shields’ inquiry, models produced by Employment and Social Development Canada across nearly 300 national occupation groups projected 14,000 job vacancies in the oil and gas extraction industry over the 2022-2031 period.
“These represent approximately 13 per cent of the sector’s employment levels in 2021,” the reply read.
Back in February’s senate proceedings, O’Regan said Canada is on a “mission” because the world’s eyes are upon us due to our abundance of natural resources and a skilled workforce.
Liberals' 'just transition' clean energy jobs plan is a plan for more plans
Senate Opposition Leader Donald Neil Plett asked O’Regan to elaborate on the plans the government has made with provinces — specifically Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“Will you listen to the oil and gas producing provinces, and put this ridiculous notion of ‘just transition’ where it belongs, in the garbage bin,” he said.
O’Regan explained that his pedigree of being a thrice-elected MP from an oil and gas producing province makes him “keenly aware” of both the challenges and prosperity of Canada’s energy industry.
“We will work with industry and unions,” he said, adding that he’d “quietly” embarked on a trip to Alberta to speak with stakeholders, assuring them that the Trudeau Liberals are “on task and on mission” to ensure Alberta and Saskatchewan — as well as Newfoundland and Labrador — will be world leaders in transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
“I can tell you quite proudly in my home province that they’ve gotten the message, and that we are moving forward and are determined to lower emissions where we can find them, as are many, many oil and gas workers who I knew in the industry who know which way the puck is going, and are determined to skate to it.”
Inquires to the Labour Minister’s office seeking insight on O’Regan’s comments were instead directed to Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, whose office maintained the challenge facing the government is not that there will be too few jobs in 2050, but there won’t be enough Canadians with the skill needed to participate in tomorrow’s labour market.
“This legislation will help to ensure that every region of Canada and every Canadian worker is at the centre of every policy and decision the Government makes,” said ministry spokesperson Keean Nembhard, referring to a 2019 government promise to introduce legislation meant to “support the future and livelihoods of workers” as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy.
“This approach has been adopted by a number of other countries and jurisdictions, which have embedded ‘sustainable jobs’ commitments within climate legislation, including Germany, Scotland and New Zealand.”
Lisa Baiton, president & CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, told the National Post that Canada needs to continue building on the expertise of oil and gas workers to ensure the continued production of Canada’s safe, secure and affordable petroleum industry.
“Working in this industry means working with national leaders in clean technology, environmental protection, biology, conservation, data analysis and machine learning in addition to engineering and energy development,” she said.
“We would support every effort to attract, retain and enhance the nation’s energy workforce.”
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