'We need to move': Liberals defend plan to ram through major projects bill before Canada Day
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is coming under fire for its plan to push its internal trade and major projects bill through the House of Commons next week at high speed.
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Government House leader Steven MacKinnon has put a motion on notice that would push Bill C-5 through the House of Commons by the end of next week at an unusually rapid pace — leaving only a few hours to hear from civil society groups, stakeholders and experts.
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If the motion is adopted, it would quickly move through debate at second reading stage and a vote, after which the bill would be referred to a House of Commons committee.
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Members of the committee would meet Tuesday and Wednesday to gather evidence from witnesses, before undertaking a clause-by-clause consideration of the legislation.
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The expectation would be for the committee's report to be presented to the House on Thursday, and debate and a vote at third reading to happen on Friday — which is the last calendar day before all MPs will be going back to their respective ridings for the summer.
C-5 would grant the government sweeping powers to quickly approve major natural resource and infrastructure projects once cabinet deems them to be in the national interest.
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The legislation also looks to break down internal trade barriers and make it easier for workers to take jobs in other provinces.
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MacKinnon rejected a call from the Bloc Québécois this week to split the landmark legislation in two — so the House could speed through the less contentious internal-trade provisions while putting the controversial major projects portion under the microscope.
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Luc Berthold, the deputy House leader for the Conservatives, declined to say if his party would support the fast-tracking of C-5 and said discussions between all parties were ongoing.
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'When a minority government decides it wants certain things, it needs to negotiate with all parties. So, we're awaiting the result of these negotiations,' he said on Thursday.
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Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party would oppose the motion 'with vigour.'
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'The kind of impetuosity from the prime minister to supercharge the legislative agenda in the short term and to bypass, from the very start of his mandate, the usual parliamentary rules are a matter of concern,' said Blanchet in French during a press conference.
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'I would respectfully suggest that Mr. Carney's entourage inform him that one is not supposed to work in such a cavalier manner when facing a Parliament fresh from the oven,' he added.
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