Human Resources committee  Yes, it's dangerous, but a lot of what the training is about is how to manage the danger and manage the risk, because we don't like to put people out where there is a risk of actually getting harmed. Safety is a key part, and training is a key part. With respect to the member utilities, you would find that each one actually works very closely with their local community colleges for one thing, for a lot of the trades training, and will have partnerships.

Human Resources committee  I think Joe has really represented what a good job OPG is doing, and not just on the Lower Mattagami. They have relationships across the province and have done partnerships in several areas. Manitoba Hydro has been doing this for a long time and has excellent programs, as has BC Hydro.

Human Resources committee  Thank you, Joe. The Canadian electricity industry supports increased funding for aboriginal education and hopes the first nation education act will help enable them to participate fully in Canada's workforce of the future. Canada's electricity industry has a strong commitment to aboriginal education at all levels, and recognizes that progress depends on strong collaborative relations with aboriginal communities and educators.

Human Resources committee  Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members, for inviting us here today to share our knowledge and experiences with respect to opportunities for aboriginal persons in Canada's electricity sector workforce. Aboriginal employment in Canada's electricity sector is characterized by tremendous opportunities, but also persistent challenges and barriers which we continue to address through a variety of ways, some which we will highlight for you today.

Environment committee  What we're really looking for is an acknowledgement of what current practices are the right way to go, to go forward with, which would be an encouragement to do more of that. Most of the work we do is really driven because we live and work in communities, some of them very broad communities.

Environment committee  First of all, there is no way to produce, transmit, or use electricity without an environmental impact. It becomes a question of what's an acceptable impact and the extent to which you can mitigate that. If there is a certain aspect or an environment attribute that is critical to a large number of stakeholders that cannot be avoided, then I would not expect a project to go ahead.

Environment committee  Thank you. Dan, do you have a comment, since you've done the actual program on the education side?

Environment committee  I think part of it goes to where we're talking about the ability to offset and create other habitat and to understand the balance between the changes you're actually creating. Some of the current large ones.... For Muskrat Falls, for example, there is not—to use our word—a “significant” amount of flooded area.

Environment committee  From projects that were done in the forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies, there was more impact. Even in those cases the ecosystem actually adjusts and you might be changing from more river base to a lake base. You create a different kind of habitat, but if you consider the whole scheme of things, you're still in balance.

Environment committee  I think that's what we do today. All our plans would have that in there.

Environment committee  Yes. The other issue having to do with recovery strategies is consideration of the socio-economics. While science determines what a species at risk is, we think that science should not be the sole determiner of public policy. You have to consider much broader ecosystem and social aspects as well.

Environment committee  We have submitted some proposed legislative changes. The biggest element is getting proper recognition for the conservation agreement. Some exist that we can't get agreement on today.

Environment committee  Our 2012 sustainable electricity annual report has lots of examples of things that are actually happening, because it's not specifically just in conservation plans.... That crosses over a number of our principles, including aboriginal relations, which is a key component as well.

Environment committee  Within that submission we had specifically what we're doing and also where we're at risk. It's not just, as you mentioned, whether we need an incentive. Our first incentive is not to be failing to meet an act.

Environment committee  It's hard for me to draw a direct connection on the adaptation issues of dealing with climate change and on the operation of our facilities. Again, weather patterns change, precipitation patterns change, and the hydroelectric side is a risk, and I think the jury's out as to what that actually is.