Alberta Chief Government Whip Shane Getson said NDP leader Rachel Notley should denounce anti-energy and anti-worker comments from Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan. “McGowan isn’t just commenting from the peanut gallery here,” said Getson in a Thursday press release. “He represents an organization with two voting seats on the Alberta NDP’s provincial executive.”McGowan said the International Energy Agency’s head has been clear increasing fossil fuel production is incompatible with saving the planet. “Our government here in Alberta is betting that the world will NOT get serious about climate change,” he said.“Is that a reasonable (or moral) bet?”.Getson called comments such as these “extreme and should not be tolerated by any mainstream party in Alberta.” To ensure these anti-energy, anti-worker views are not tolerated, he said Notley needs to speak out against them. While McGowan can express these opinions, Getson alleged he does not speak for the people who work in the building trades across Alberta or the Boilermakers. He said his attitudes and values cast aspersions on the people working to build up Alberta and who respect and care for the environment. McGowan has a long history of questionable remarks and behaviours, including comparing conservatives to Nazis and organizing a boycott against conservative-owned businesses. All across Canada, Getson said workers “are waking up to the fact big union bosses like McGowan aren’t working for them.” “On the heels of a $9 billion investment announcement that will create 6,000 jobs during peak construction, workers are quickly realizing that our United Conservative government is getting the job done and creating good jobs, opportunity and prosperity for their families,” he said. McGowan gave a hearty thumbs up to the Canadian government’s just transition bill and a big middle finger to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the businesses opposed to it in June. READ MORE: AFL's McGowan comes out in favour of Just Transition act“Despite what people like Danielle Smith and other members of the UCP might tell you, this bill is not about shutting down the Alberta economy — it’s about preparing us for a future that’s going to look different than our past,” he said. “That’s why we in the Alberta labour movement endorse this legislation.”Notley and McGowan could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
Alberta Chief Government Whip Shane Getson said NDP leader Rachel Notley should denounce anti-energy and anti-worker comments from Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan. “McGowan isn’t just commenting from the peanut gallery here,” said Getson in a Thursday press release. “He represents an organization with two voting seats on the Alberta NDP’s provincial executive.”McGowan said the International Energy Agency’s head has been clear increasing fossil fuel production is incompatible with saving the planet. “Our government here in Alberta is betting that the world will NOT get serious about climate change,” he said.“Is that a reasonable (or moral) bet?”.Getson called comments such as these “extreme and should not be tolerated by any mainstream party in Alberta.” To ensure these anti-energy, anti-worker views are not tolerated, he said Notley needs to speak out against them. While McGowan can express these opinions, Getson alleged he does not speak for the people who work in the building trades across Alberta or the Boilermakers. He said his attitudes and values cast aspersions on the people working to build up Alberta and who respect and care for the environment. McGowan has a long history of questionable remarks and behaviours, including comparing conservatives to Nazis and organizing a boycott against conservative-owned businesses. All across Canada, Getson said workers “are waking up to the fact big union bosses like McGowan aren’t working for them.” “On the heels of a $9 billion investment announcement that will create 6,000 jobs during peak construction, workers are quickly realizing that our United Conservative government is getting the job done and creating good jobs, opportunity and prosperity for their families,” he said. McGowan gave a hearty thumbs up to the Canadian government’s just transition bill and a big middle finger to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the businesses opposed to it in June. READ MORE: AFL's McGowan comes out in favour of Just Transition act“Despite what people like Danielle Smith and other members of the UCP might tell you, this bill is not about shutting down the Alberta economy — it’s about preparing us for a future that’s going to look different than our past,” he said. “That’s why we in the Alberta labour movement endorse this legislation.”Notley and McGowan could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
