All we want for earth day is a government that prioritizes the creation of quality green jobs in the clean energy sector. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) is working with environmental organizations to make this happen.
In the coming federal election, we will be asking the parties what they will be doing to create green jobs for thousands of Canadians and to join the rest of the world in committing to address climate change.
Canada ranks 58th out of 61 developed countries for climate change performance according to an annual report by Germanwatch. The only developed countries with a worse record than Canada are Kazakhstan (59th), Iran (60th) and Saudi Arabia (61st). China ranks 46th while the United States ranks 43rd.
“Any investment in green industry creates more than seven times the jobs than the same investment in the fossil fuel extraction industry,” says Donald Lafleur, CLC Executive Vice-President.
In April, we will be part of a Climate Change Week of Action — a week that will focus on Canada’s climate change record. We will be reaching out to members of parliament to support the NDP climate change bill; promoting the creation of one million climate jobs in renewable energy, public transit and high speed rail; and continuing to make homes and buildings more energy efficient.
The labour movement is working to make the environment healthier and safer for everyone. We can make every day Earth Day by greening our existing jobs and making choices that are better for the environment, both at home and at work. This year we have an opportunity to elect a new government that will commit to addressing climate change and investing in green jobs.
