Organizers press for Just Transition legislation first promised by Justin Trudeau in 2019
Ottawa, ON – Today, organizers with 350.org launched the “Ministry of Just Transition” to show what Canada tackling the climate crisis would actually look like. A website for the fictional federal Ministry was launched detailing the projects such a Ministry could take on.
“The Ministry of Just Transition isn’t real, but it should be,” explained Chris Gusen, Canada Senior Digital Specialist with 350.org. “Scientists have made it clear we need to stop all fossil fuel expansion immediately and rapidly shift to a green economy. This is possible with a big, bold Just Transition Act that protects workers and serves communities. Yet, the federal government continues to approve new fossil fuel projects and delay critical green investments.”
Organizers plan on using the website and social media accounts to show the kind of actions that could bring Canada in line with the government’s climate commitments.
“With Justin Trudeau, there is always a massive gap between what he says about tackling the climate emergency and what he does,” said Anjali Appadurai, Director of Campaigns at the Climate Emergency Unit. “We know Canada needs to stop expanding fossil fuel production, but doing that requires support for workers, communities, and everyday people. The Ministry of Just Transition shows how we can do that, starting with passing the Just Transition Act.”
Some programs and projects the campaign suggests could be undertaken are a federal green jobs guarantee, retraining programs for oil and gas workers, a managed phaseout of fossil fuels, expanding community-owned renewable energy sources, and long overdue investments in Indigenous-led initiatives to develop safe housing, ensure clean drinking water for all.
“If you click on any of the links to these programs on the website, you get an error message because, right now, none of these necessary programs exist,” Gusen said. “But, without this kind of big, bold action, Canada will fail to tackle the climate emergency in time to avoid the most catastrophic impacts. It’s past time that this government got serious and passed the Just Transition Act.”
An online call celebrating the launch of the “Ministry of Just Transition” is planned for Thursday, April 21st at 4PT/7ET. More information can be found at transitioncanada.ca.
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Contact: Chris Gusen, [email protected] , 780-802-9795