The federal government will show Canadians its plan to protect jobs during the clean energy transition no later than early spring, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Wednesday.

Legislation to guide how that plan is implemented, however, won91裸聊视频檛 come for some time after that.

The Liberals have promised a 91裸聊视频渏ust transition act91裸聊视频� since at least 2019, and Wilkinson has been saying it will finally happen this year.

That prospect prompted outcry in Alberta, where the energy transition will have the biggest impact and provincial politicians are headed for a tightly contested election this spring.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to help shape that legislation. Her chief opponent, NDP Leader Rachel Notley, asked the federal Liberals to delay the whole thing at least until after the election, which is scheduled for the end of May.

But Wilkinson said the bill, for which he didn91裸聊视频檛 offer a timeline, will in some ways be secondary to the action plan listing what the government intends to do. He said that plan will hopefully be revealed by the end of March, though it may 91裸聊视频渟lip into the next quarter.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he legislation will guide future efforts and will create a governance structure, but it91裸聊视频檚 the policy statement that I think is going to be the most impactful,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd, as I say, we will be releasing that in the coming few months.91裸聊视频�

He said the plan is based on lengthy consultations with provinces, labour organizations, business and Indigenous communities. Ultimately, he said, it will contain no surprises.

The concept of a 91裸聊视频渏ust transition91裸聊视频� has existed for several decades, but it took on new meaning after the 2015 Paris climate agreement committed most of the world to transitioning to cleaner energy sources in a bid to slow climate change.

The idea is that any efforts to adjust reliance on fossil fuels must ensure that people who work in energy industries can move to new sectors and will not be left out in the cold.

The 91裸聊视频渏ust transition91裸聊视频� debate exploded last month when Smith lambasted the federal government for a briefing document that listed the number of jobs that could be affected by the ongoing global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

Smith misread the total number of jobs in the affected sectors to mean the number of jobs the federal government expected would be lost, and pledged to 91裸聊视频渇ight this just transition idea91裸聊视频� with everything she had.

A week later, the premier wrote to Trudeau warning him that the Ottawa-Alberta relationship was 91裸聊视频渁t a crossroads,91裸聊视频� and demanding that Alberta be included in all discussions on a 91裸聊视频渏ust transition91裸聊视频� going forward.

She also said the legislation shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be labelled as a 91裸聊视频渏ust transition91裸聊视频� bill, but one about 91裸聊视频渟ustainable jobs.91裸聊视频�

That request hit the federal government with interest and even amusement, since several federal ministers had already signalled their intention to use the term.

91裸聊视频淚 think I91裸聊视频檝e been pretty clear I don91裸聊视频檛 like the term 91裸聊视频榡ust transition,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Wilkinson said Wednesday.

91裸聊视频淚 prefer 91裸聊视频榮ustainable jobs.91裸聊视频� I think it speaks to a future where we91裸聊视频檙e looking to build economic opportunity for all regions of this country, very much including Alberta and Saskatchewan.91裸聊视频�

Smith will be in Ottawa next week as part of a first ministers meeting on health care, but there is no sign she will get a one-on-one meeting with Trudeau on sustainable jobs.

91裸聊视频擬ia Rabson, The Canadian Press