Latest news with #BillC-5
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Carney government's ‘nation-building' bill becomes law despite Senate criticism
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's controversial legislation to fast-track 'nation-building' development projects received royal assent and became law after the rushed passage of Bill C-5 through the Senate on Thursday. But the legislative accomplishment — the first government bill to pass in both chambers under the minority Liberal administration elected April 28 — was marred by expressions of outrage from some senators, who criticized the legislation's creation of 'so-called Henry VIII' powers that allow the federal cabinet to override laws and regulations to approve development projects. Some also condemned what they saw as the bill's lack of consultation and requirements to respect Indigenous rights, suggesting the new process could get bogged down in the very opposition and delay that it is designed to avoid. 'Bill C-5 is not reconciliation. It's a betrayal of it,' said Sen. Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaq lawyer from Nova Scotia, who told the red chamber his office received a deluge of 'racist vitriol' after he spoke about his desire to slow down the legislation that sped through the House of Commons last week with the support of opposition Conservatives. Yet some in that party still had concerns about the legislation. Mary Jane McCallum, a Conservative senator from Manitoba, argued Thursday that the bill gives too much power to the federal cabinet to choose projects, and to decide which laws and regulations are relevant to how they are approved. 'Canada is not a dictatorship, yet the so-called Henry VIII clauses in Bill C-5 bring us dangerously close to the precipice,' she said. After two days of debate, the Senate voted down several amendments that would have sent the legislation back to the House, and passed it as written without a recorded vote Thursday afternoon. It received Royal Assent from Gov. Gen. Mary Simon a short time later. Since introducing and pushing to pass the bill before Canada Day, the Carney government has defended the legislation as a necessary framework to boost economic growth and reduce reliance on the United States that has imposed steep tariffs that Ottawa deems illegal and unjustified. Last week, Carney also promised to host summits with Indigenous leaders in July to ensure there is participation on which proposed projects — from pipelines to ports and mines — are chosen for the fast-track process under C-5. The legislation gives the cabinet wide latitude to fast-track a development project based on 'any factor' it deems relevant. Although it's not written in the legislation, the government has pledged to finish the approval of fast-tracked projects so construction can begin within two years, while the special powers the bill creates are set to expire after five years. On Thursday, Sen. Hassan Yusseff, a former labour leader who advocated for the bill in the upper chamber, echoed the government's rationale that the special process to fast-track major projects — and a separate, less contentious part of the bill to lift federal barriers to trade and labour mobility inside Canada — are necessary because of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. His voice breaking with emotion, Yusseff made the case that the legislation is needed quickly to bolster the Canadian economy and help workers in the industries targeted by Trump's tariffs, from steel and aluminum to the auto sector. 'The men and women who build this country of ours are watching very closely,' Yusseff said. Throughout the day, senators debated the merits of the bill, with some arguing it forces Indigenous groups and environmentalists to trust the government to respect rights and standards, rather than force the government to do so. Some senators, however, said the bill's references to Indigenous rights in the Constitution, as well as the government's insistence it won't fast-track projects without provincial buy-in and Indigenous consultation, mean these concerns can't be addressed through amending the legislation. 'There's no bill we can pass that will guarantee the honour of the Crown,' said Alberta Sen. Patti LaBoucane-Benson. 'I don't think there's anything more we can do to the text of the bill to protect Indigenous rights.' Others, like Ontario Sen. Bernadette Clement, argued Parliament should take more time to improve the legislation and address concerns raised by environmental groups, Indigenous communities, and organizations like the Assembly of First Nations. 'Growing our economy, nation-building — yeah, that's urgent. It requires a timely an efficient response. But it doesn't require the trampling of Indigenous rights and our environmental protections,' Clement said. Marilou McPhedran, a senator from Manitoba, expressed shock that Conservatives and Liberals in the House voted en masse to surrender 'parliamentary sovereignty' to the cabinet under the bill. 'As we watch the results of the C-5 juggernaut roll out and roll over Canada, please remember this key question: are the constitutionally guaranteed rights to equality, to Aboriginal and treaty rights, the first to go with Bill C-5?' she said. The House of Commons made several amendments to the bill that some senators welcomed, including new reporting requirements on how projects are selected, and the creation of a parliamentary committee to oversee how the legislation is being used. The House also added a requirement to publish details of a project at least 30 days before it is named in the 'national interest,' and introduced limits so no projects can be added to the new process while Parliament is prorogued or dissolved. The legislation also requires the minister responsible for the law — currently Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc — to consult with provinces, territories and Indigenous Peoples whose rights 'may be adversely affected' by a project. The Commons inserted a clause that requires the government to get 'written consent' from a province or territory — but not an Indigenous community — if a project falls within an area of its 'exclusive' jurisdiction. Sen. Marc Gold, the government representative in the chamber, said the bill is 'fundamentally about trust' that all groups — including the government — will act in the best interests of Canadians during a time of crisis after an election he said gave the Liberal minority government a clear mandate to pursue rapid economic growth. 'C-5 is indeed extraordinary, and indeed it entails unprecedented trust,' Gold said. 'This is not about any partisan interest, but in the interest of our country.'
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
With C-5 now law, it's 'put up or shut up time' for Carney Liberals: observers
Senator says it's now up to Carney to put the law into action and start rebuilding Canada's stalled economy Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks as he attends a tour of the Fort York Armoury in Toronto on June 9, 2025. Photo by Cole Burston / Getty Images OTTAWA — With Prime Minister Mark Carney's keystone nation-building legislation now law, it's time for the government to follow through on its promises. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'This is a 'come to Jesus' moment,' Senator Leo Housakos told the Toronto Sun on Friday. 'This is where they have to recognize that not everything they did in the last 10 years worked out as they thought it would, and now we need to make changes that reinforce economic development, economic growth and attracts foreign investment.' Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy act, enjoyed rare support from the Conservatives, who fended off opposition from the NDP and Bloc Québécois — and even members of the Liberal caucus — to usher the bill through whirlwind consideration in both the House of Commons and the Senate to meet Carney's July 1 deadline. C-5 is meant to grant cabinet mechanisms allowing for fast approvals for major nation-building projects such as pipelines, ports, mines and energy ventures, and lift barriers to interprovincial trade. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Housakos, opposition leader in the Senate, said it's now up to Carney to put the law into action and start rebuilding Canada's stalled economy. Read More 'The Prime Minister has created high expectations coming out of an election where clearly, regardless if Canadians voted for Mark Carney or Pierre Poilievre, there was a clear embracing of the recognition that in the last 10 years, the environmental enthusiasm displayed by the previous government went a little bit too far,' he said. 'It created too much red tape, created too many obstacles for unleashing our energy sector and creating the wealth our country so badly requires — particularly in the face of this existential crisis of tariffs and Trump threats that we've been getting now over the last few months.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Alex Brown, a director with the National Citizens Coalition, agreed with Housakos' sentiment that Carney and his government need to put their money where their mouth is. 'It's put up or shut up time,' Brown said. 'We view this with optimism but healthy skepticism, because the (government's) record speaks for itself in cabinet and (Carney's) past work as the sort-of 'final boss' of global net-zero.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO Canadians have kept a wary eye on the PMO since Carney came to power, he said, adding they are beyond hollow catchphrases like 'elbows up' and are putting their faith in the PM's tent-pole policies like breaking down interprovincial trade barriers. 'Nobody can sabotage Canada quite like Canada,' Brown said. 'This is a real chance to take down a whole bunch of red tape, but if those first tentpoles have already appeared to collapse — folks are going to want to see some real movement this summer, and thinking ahead to when the house returns this September.' bpassifiume@ X: @bryanpassifiume Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Music Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Politics
- Cision Canada
WWF-Canada calls for nation-building projects that 'heal nature, not harm it'
TORONTO, June 27, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada's Parliament has voted to give Cabinet sweeping new powers to accelerate "nation-building" projects under Bill C-5, potentially bypassing environmental safeguards such as the Species at Risk Act (SARA), the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act. In our country's efforts to build the economy, World Wildlife Fund Canada believes any shovels in the ground must not be at the expense of endangered species and the habitats they rely on. Bill C-5 will allow Cabinet to override key environmental protections for projects that it deems to be in the national interest. While unstable geopolitics demand that Canada shore up its economy, nearly half of Canadians (49%) recognize that environmental regulations should not be bypassed to "speed things up," according to new data from the Angus Reid Institute. "Prosperity is possible without sacrificing wetlands, forests, marine ecosystems or wildlife," Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada says. "Canadians want growth that strengthens our economy and our ecosystems. Bill C-5 can still deliver that future, but only if the government insists on projects that protect and restore, not harm, the nature that sustains us." Canada's ecosystems sustain wildlife, store carbon, filter water and provide many other essential services helping our communities adapt to a changing climate. Gutting safeguards around their protection risks repeating the mistakes of the past — mistakes that have harmed Indigenous communities, damaged wildlife habitats and burdened generations of people across the country. The way forward is to make the protection of nature a prerequisite for development. That means complying with the intent of environmental laws such as SARA and the Fisheries Act and pursuing a balanced path to prosperity. The government should invest in large-scale, complex ecosystem restoration, Indigenous Guardians programs and renewable energy projects that have ecological integrity and durability at their core. Now is the time to fund nature-based solutions, develop conservation economies that strengthen communities, create jobs and help safeguard us from the impacts of climate change. "The 'Building Canada' era should be remembered for landscapes restored, Indigenous rights respected and renewable energy delivered, not for nature pushed closer to the brink," Leslie says. "We stand ready to help government, industry and communities get this right." About World Wildlife Fund Canada WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit
2 days ago
- Business
Is it time for Canada to build its own car?
Government barred all senior Iranian regime officials who served from 2003 to present. Advance estimate for May shows similar dip. Company issues apology, says employee on leave. Team has called a news conference for today at 1 p.m. ET. Senate passed Bill C-5 unamended Thursday afternoon.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Major projects: How Bill C-5 works and why it alarms its critics
People rally against Bill C-5 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang JDT flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
