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CTV News
09-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Federal government looking to cut ‘unnecessary red tape' and modernize regulations
The federal government is launching a 'red tape review' of regulations across all federal departments and agencies with regulatory responsibilities in a bid to cut 'unnecessary red tape.' Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali announced Wednesday morning that ministers will have 60 days to review regulatory responsibilities and report back on their organizations progress and next steps. 'Regulations play a key role in protecting the health and safety of Canadians—but to stay effective, they must be regularly reviewed,' Ali said in a statement. 'Cutting unnecessary red tape is essential to unlocking Canada's full economic potential.' The recently created Red Tape Reduction Office will oversee the review, which is intended to modernize outdated regulations and reduce red tape. 'As part of this review, Ministers will review regulations in their portfolios and propose actions and measures to eliminate red tape –– including removing outdated regulation, reducing duplication with provincial rules, and making it easier to access and deliver services,' Treasury Board said in a statement. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business released a report that the combined cost of regulation to businesses from all three levels of government was estimated at $51.5 billion in 2024, with approximately $17.9 billion attributed to red tape. 'Canada's new government has a mandate to spend less and invest more. To that end, we will remove red tape by eliminating outdated regulation,' Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement. 'It's time to make government more efficient, make its processes more effective, and to catalyze more private capital so we can build the strongest economy in the G7.' The Liberal Party's election platform pledged to reduce red tape, saying it would require all federal departments – including Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – to review and report on progress to 'eliminate outdated and unnecessary rules, reduce duplication or overlap with provincial rules, and streamline the administration of rules and the delivery of regulatory decisions.' The Liberal platform also promised to build AI infrastructure by investing in nation-building energy infrastructure and cutting red tape to make Canada the best place in the world to build data centres. According to the Red Tape Reduction Office's website, the office was established to address regulatory red tape by 'making the regulatory system more efficient,' 'reducing barriers to innovation, productivity and economic growth,' and 'reducing regulatory costs for Canadians and businesses.' The federal government's move to 'modernize outdated regulations and reduce red tape' within the government comes two days after cabinet ministers were directed to find operational savings over the next three years. CTV News learned Monday that federal ministers have been asked to find 7.5 per cent savings for the 2026-27 fiscal year that begins on April 1, 2026 followed by 10 per cent in 2027-28 and 15 per cent in 2028-29 in an effort to find 'long-term savings.'
CBC
09-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Federal government launches regulatory review to cut red tape
Social Sharing Prime Minister Mark Carney is enacting a cross-departmental review of all regulations starting Wednesday, a measure he promised during the federal election campaign. "Regulations play a key role in protecting the health and safety of Canadians—but to stay effective, they must be regularly reviewed," said Shafqat Ali, president of the Treasury Board, in a statement by his department accompanying the announcement. "Cutting unnecessary red tape is essential to unlocking Canada's full economic potential." Carney said in the statement his government has a mandate to "spend less and invest more," adding "it's time to make government more efficient, make its processes more effective, and to catalyze more private capital so we can build the strongest economy in the G7." Wednesday's announcement said Ali has asked each minister to review regulations and "propose actions and measures to eliminate red tape." It said organizations would have 60 days to undertake their reviews and report on progress to Ali, and the process would be overseen by a newly created Red Tape Reduction Office. The Liberal Party's platform said it would "require all relevant federal departments — such as Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada — to undertake review and report on progress, within 60 days, on steps to eliminate outdated or unnecessary rules, reduce duplication or overlap with provincial rules and streamline the administration of rules and the delivery of regulatory decisions." Both during his run for Liberal leader and during the election campaign, Carney said the federal government needs to rein in spending. Carney said he would separate "operational spending," the day-to-day running of government programs and departments, from "capital spending" — anything that builds government-held assets. The platform also pledged to cut the growth of government spending from nine per cent to two per cent by eliminating waste and duplication, and using technology to balance operational spending within three years. On Monday, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne sent letters to his fellow cabinet members asking them to come up with "ambitious savings proposals." Champagne will lead what's being called a "comprehensive expenditure review," with the goal of getting a handle on public sector spending. During the campaign, Carney came under criticism by the NDP, which accused him of planning cuts to the public service, specifically to health care, in order to balance the books. The Liberals pushed back on that allegation. The Treasury Board's announcement did not include any financial targets, but said each federal regulator must publicly report on its progress and priorities at the end of the 60-day term. The board also cited the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which found businesses collectively paid an estimated $51.5 billion last year due to regulations from all three levels of government, with "approximately $17.9 billion attributed to red tape."
National Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Michael Taube: Early signs Liberal government may be short-lived
The 45th Canadian Parliament officially began on May 26. There are already some early signs that it may not last very long. Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals suffered an embarrassing defeat in a June 2 vote in the House of Commons. Conservative interim leader Andrew Scheer's sub-amendment to the throne speech, which called for a 'firm commitment' to present a spring economic statement or budget 'that incorporates measures aimed at unleashing Canada's economic potential,' passed by a vote of 166-164. Article content This surprising result was aided by the fact that four Liberal MPs didn't vote due to the long-standing procedural measure of paired abstentions. This is when the parties represented in the House agree to have an MP sit out a vote and be paired with an MP of a different party who can't attend for a particular reason. Article content Article content In fairness, this was a non-binding vote. Confidence in the Liberal government wasn't being put to the test that day. At the same time, in spite of chief government whip Mark Gerretsen suggesting 'we knew the outcome of what that vote was going to be,' it's still a humiliating moment. While there have been a tiny number of instances of a federal government losing a non-binding vote, resolution or motion, it's highly unusual to have it happen this early in a parliament's life — and to have it linked to the Throne Speech. Article content As it happens, Carney and the Liberals survived a second crisis with the Throne Speech the following day when it was adopted by the House of Commons in a peculiar fashion. Article content Article content Political commentators and columnists were briefly caught off-guard on June 4 when the NDP announced they would vote against the Throne Speech. The Conservatives seemed like a good bet to join them. Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet even told the media that 'we have no news about how the caucus is going to vote.' Article content Article content This had suddenly become an interesting situation. The minority Liberal government has 169 MPs. One of them, Francis Scarpaleggia, is the Speaker of the House. Only Green Party leader Elizabeth May appeared to be onside with the Liberals. If the Conservatives, NDP and BQ all voted against the Throne Speech, this would have been regarded as a vote of no confidence in Carney's Liberal government. This would have likely led to the dissolution of Parliament and a new federal election. Article content The whole scenario seemed rather far-fetched. Going back to the polls so early wouldn't be desirable for most Canadians. The voters would blame one or more of the parties for causing this situation. Meanwhile, Elections Canada revealed that the estimated cost for running this year's federal election was $570 million. It would be difficult to convince the Canadian taxpayers, who foot this lofty bill, that they would need to spend this amount (or more) once again in 2025 — with no guarantee that it would lead to a different result.
Malay Mail
26-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Asean must trade more with itself, Anwar tells bloc's business council
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Prime Minister and Chair of the South-east Asian bloc, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has directed the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) to submit concrete proposals to boost intra-Asean trade, which currently accounts for only about 20 per cent of the grouping's total trade. He noted that his counterparts had expressed a shared desire to unlock the region's full economic potential, underscoring the opportunity to significantly expand intra-Asean trade. 'Proposals have been made by Presidents and Prime Ministers, and there is actually no reason why the extent of our inter-Asean trade and investments is still limited at this stage, as the potential is enormous. 'So please come up with some very specific proposals on how we can compel policymakers to accept some recommendations,' he said in his opening remarks at the Asean Leaders' Interface with Representative of the Asean Business Advisory Council (Aseab-BAC) here today. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the Asean-BAC would also be present at all Asean meetings as a standard procedure to express their views and provide suggestions. Heads of State present included Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah; Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto; Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet; Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone; Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr; Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong; and Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Also in attendance were Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, as observer, and Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. This year marks Malaysia's fifth time chairing the regional bloc, having previously held the Asean Chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. In conjunction with the summit, two pivotal high-level engagements — the 2nd Asean-GCC Summit and the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit — will also be convened, serving as strategic platforms to advance regional and inter-regional cooperation. — Bernama
