Liberals to remove federal trade barriers, fast-track major projects in new bill

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government plans to remove federal trade barriers by recognizing the rules provinces have in place, the National Post has learned. The measures are set to be introduced in a “One Canadian Economy” bill aimed at knocking down federal trade barriers and fast-tracking the approvals process for major energy and infrastructure projects to be introduced Friday. The full title of the bill is “An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act.” The proposed legislation takes aim at the overlap that exists between rules at the provincial and federal levels of government, including when it comes to workers. The federal government is hoping the legislation will receive unanimous support from all parties to fast-track its adoption, but at least one opposition party has said that will not happen. Bloc Québécois House leader Christine Normandin said on Wednesday her party will want to study the bill in great detail and hear from experts in parliamentary committees, which are not yet up and running. “For the interest of the population that we represent, we’re going to do the work,” she said. Carney is expected to hold a media availability to answer questions about the legislation around 12:30. Besides addressing trade barriers, the bill will usher in a new process to fast-track approvals for major projects by creating a new federal major projects office. By creating the new office, the government promises to streamline the regulatory process and cut the approval timeline from five to two years. Carney and the premiers met earlier this week and agreed on the criteria for what constitutes a project to be in the “national interest,” which would allow it to be fast-tracked. Requirements include Indigenous participation, the potential for clean growth, and a high likelihood of success. The federal government has promised that the proposed bill to fast-track resource project approvals would follow the constitutional duty to consult First Nations. However, the Assembly of First Nations has said it needs to see the full text of the bill to analyze it legally and has warned the approach poses a “serious threat” to treaty rights . On Friday, they reiterated that concern. “The Assembly of First Nations remains deeply concerned about the lack of time and appropriate process to carry out the Crown’s consultation and consent obligations, especially given the potentially massive impact on the rights of First Nations,” the AFN said, in a statement to National Post. National Post Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.