Canada’s Parliament has passed a landmark bill that grants Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government new powers to expedite significant national projects. This legislation takes steps to strengthen the Canadian economy. It begins with a proactive response to the perennial US tariff threats, our biggest trading partner to be sure.
Mark Carney’s administration for campaign long focused on the strength of Lisle’s economy in the backdrop of increasing trade tensions between the U.S. President Donald Trump and the American government have levied tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and most recently the auto industry. This development has raised the alarm bells with Canadian legislators and industry alike. The new bill’s supporters see it as a promising first step. They maintain that it will go a long way toward strengthening Canada’s independence from its southern neighbour.
The passage of this bill is a big political victory for Carney. It fulfills on his pledge to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day, July 1. We’re heartened to see Senator Hassan’s support for this important bill. He calls it a move to counter the nation’s “most urgent and immediate” crisis.
The legislation has earned sharp rebuke from Indigenous groups as well as environmental activists. They claim that hastily advancing projects would avoid much-needed opposition voices. The bill includes no provisions for consulting or accommodating Indigenous peoples before using their lands to expedite projects. Advocates and former government officials fear that these consultations will fall short.
In a statement released on the project announcement last week, Carney recognized this balancing act between creating economic development opportunities and honoring Indigenous rights. He said, “We do not want success and progress to come on the backs of Indigenous Peoples.”
Paul Prosper, a senator from Nova Scotia and member of the Mi’kmaq Indigenous group, attempted to introduce an amendment requiring explicit consent from Indigenous groups prior to project approval. His work proved futile, illuminating the lasting plight of development versus Indigenous rights.
Prosper articulated his concerns regarding the implications of the new law, stating, “No one wants to watch our children grow up in squalor, with no access to clean drinking water, no opportunity for good-paying jobs and no support for our sick and dying. We do not want success and progress to come on the backs of Indigenous Peoples.”
In testimony before the Council, Senator Yussuff testified that he was in favor of development. He was highly critical of the law for leaving Indigenous rights behind.