While in Official Opposition the BC NDP were highly critical of the BC Liberals plan for LNG.
Perhaps they were not outright opposed to dumping megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions into the environment, but they were incredibly vocal on the former government’s plan to sell-out future British Columbians for short-term benefit.
Well, now the BC NDP is basically running out the BC Liberal rhetoric, forgetting all their past criticism in an apparent change of heart and mind. It is unbelievable really to hear Premier John Horgan and Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Hon. Michelle Mungall, clamour for LNG when they were once the harshest critics of a more mild sell-out than the one that they are overseeing.
Setting greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts aside for a moment, because Hon. George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, has promised an aggressive and comprehensive “Clean Growth Strategy”, in Question Period I decided to focus on the spectacular job claims of the BC NDP.
[Transcript]
A. Olsen:
I wonder how LMS Reinforcing Steel feels about the federal government exempting LNG Canada from steel tariffs.
Anyway, three years ago Premier Horgan said: “…the people of British Columbia should see the primary benefit from an LNG industry” and “We need to make sure that jobs go to British Columbians….” He’s quoted in Hansard as saying that if 70 percent of those 100,000 jobs were going to come from somewhere else, one has to pause and ask why we have been putting so much energy into doing something if it’s for somebody else.
According to the B.C. NDP’s LNG framework from earlier this week, LNG Canada will create 10,000 jobs during construction and 950 permanent jobs once operations are underway. On LNG Canada’s website, it states that they’re not hiring employees directly during construction. Instead, they’re hiring a prime contractor who will hire implementation contractors who will hire subcontractors. The latter two will hire workers.
To the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. LNG Canada has committed to helping local residents take advantage of employment opportunities, but they will not be the ones hiring workers. How many of the LNG employment opportunities can be guaranteed to go to British Columbians, and how many will go to temporary foreign workers?
Hon. M. Mungall:
I understand why the member would be concerned about who is getting these jobs, because the previous government, when they were in charge of this file, were signing blank cheques. They were letting projects go forward without any commitment for local hire. When we became government, we were adamant that we had four conditions.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Members, may we please hear the response. Thank you.
Hon. M. Mungall:
One of those conditions was that jobs have to go to British Columbians, first and foremost, and we have to see training opportunities in the construction phase as well as throughout the permanent jobs. LNG Canada has committed — and they have signed contracts with their contractors — that there’s a local-hire-first policy.
Just as an example, they have contractually required their engineering and procurement company to follow this policy. And that is across the board. They have signed 20 impact-and-benefit agreements with First Nations. First Nations will be at the front of the line for these jobs. What does that mean? That means prosperity and benefits to the north, from well to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker:
The member for Saanich North and the Islands on a supplemental.
A. Olsen:
Actually, the minister’s reading of my concern is misplaced. I’m concerned that the program on this side of the House is looking very much like the program from that side of the House.
The idea of having conditions associated with development isn’t a new idea. Former Premier Christy Clark’s five conditions were often used to obfuscate her government’s position on the Trans Mountain pipeline.
I think it’s critical that if the NDP are choosing to use a similar tactic of having conditions, that these conditions should be shown to be substantive and actually mean something. One of the NDP’s four conditions, as the minister highlighted, for LNG development is that it creates jobs for British Columbians.
My question is for the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. We know that LNG Canada will be using contractors to conduct most of the hiring. What specific — I repeat: what specific — oversight systems has this government put in place to ensure that jobs on this project are not simply given out to temporary foreign workers but that British Columbians are actually the people benefiting from this project?
Hon. M. Mungall:
One of the things that we wanted to see was not just words but actions. We not only saw LNG Canada’s commitment to a local-hire-first policy in writing with their contractors, but they’ve already invested $2.85 million on workforce development in the north. So they’re already investing in people in the north.
Just to give you a sense of what this means for people in the north. I represent small communities. When we gain six full-time family-supporting jobs in our communities, we’re ecstatic. When we lose those jobs, we’re disappointed.
So can you imagine what 950 means? And it’s exactly why Mayor Phil Germuth from Kitimat was ecstatic and was smiling ear to ear on Tuesday morning when LNG Canada made their announcement. But it’s not just mayors from well to tidewater or First Nations communities from well to tidewater who are happy about this.
Let me tell you what Kristi Leer has said about this. She’s a young woman. She doesn’t hold any formal position other than that she needs to work for a living, and she’s from Fort Nelson. She had to leave Fort Nelson because she couldn’t get a job there. The economy in that community has been depressed as a result of a downturn in natural gas in past years.
Well, this is what she said about LNG Canada’s announcement: “It’s huge. My town has just been saved.” And Kristi is on her way back to Fort Nelson so she can get a job. When people like Kristi are heading back home so that they can get work and be a part of their community, that’s a good thing for British Columbia.
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