A group petitioning the Liberal government's "Just Transition" policy said it knows why Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley has stayed silent on the plan..In 2016, Notley sang a different tune on her position of "Just Transition" and it appears it may be the reason she took so long to backtrack to her new position on the Liberal's policy.."Our government appointed a panel to look into the matter of how we can orchestrate a just transition," Notley said in November 2016..Project Confederation, a group in Alberta petitioning the policy, said it knows why Notley opposed the “Just Transition.”."It turns out, rather than just being some federal NDP idea that she's now distanced her provincial party from, the 'Just Transition' was actually a huge part of her NDP government’s plans," Project Confederation stated.."It’s November 2015, and the newly minted NDP government is celebrating a big election win, and are moving forward with their climate change strategy. You know, the one they accidentally forgot to mention that they were going to implement if they won. New Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks, Shannon Phillips, commissions a blue-ribbon report by a team of high-profile academics, to help the NDP figure out exactly how to fulfill their campaign promise — sorry, their campaign omission.".Several months later, the “Climate Leadership Report” is released, setting out the government’s vision for climate policy, Project Confederation noted.."The 'Just Transition' is a key part of the NDP’s Climate Leadership Report," Project Confederation said.."Yep, that’s right, (Notley) forget not knowing what the Just Transition is, and claiming not to support the federal government's plan. In reality, it was Rachel Notley’s government who wrote the policy in the first place, and then made it a critical part of their entire environmental policy agenda."."'Just Transition' was the philosophy behind Rachel Notley's radical Climate Action Plan," Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development Brian Jean said Monday.."That's why 'Just Transition' appears six times in the plan and she repeatedly said it in the #ableg. Now, months from the election, she's trying to distance herself from it.".Notley finally broke her silence about "Just Transition" in January and claims the UCP government is "lost in chaos.".“It is very clear to me the provincial government is asleep at the wheel and has not been doing its job,” she said. “Jaw-dropping levels of incompetence,” Notley said..Alberta Premier Danielle Smith took a political swing at Justin Trudeau in January while also calling out the NDP to say the province will not be submitting to "Just Transition.".The federal government vowed by 2035 all new cars and light-duty trucks sold in the country will be zero-emission vehicles.."Just Transition” emerged from the 2015 Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty..The Paris Agreement makes clear national actions on climate change must ensure a "just transition" for the workforce by creating high-quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities..In 2016, the federal government committed to working with provincial governments and organized labour to “ensure workers affected by the accelerated phase-out of traditional coal power are involved in a successful transition to the low-carbon economy of the future.”.It took Notley over two weeks to break her silence on the policy..READ MORE: Notley breaks silence on 'Just Transition’.Notley said in January she believes there's a path available to Albertans and Canadians to significantly reduce our emissions.."To even ultimately find a cap which is practical, and to do so that actually creates economic opportunity and protects and grows good, long-term industrial, blue-collar jobs," said Notley..READ MORE: Smith tells feds Alberta will not be shutting down its oil and gas industry.Notley said she believes the UCP government is “lost in chaos” and has not “delivered or displayed the competence to find that path.”."My view is the federal government has to put the brakes completely on its legislative plans for this spring with respect to the sustainable jobs legislation, as well as plans for the emissions cap," Notley said on CBC’s West Of Centre podcast.."To be clear, she’s not asking for the feds to drop the 'Just Transition' plan, but simply to delay it until after the election. This stuff has to be put off. They need to put the brakes on.”.Notley then claimed Smith is "not upset about the plan."."She’s upset that the federal government is bringing it forward now when it will hurt her in an election. Just like she didn’t campaign on a carbon tax in 2015, she plans to support 'Just Transition' once the votes are counted and certified."
