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OTTAWA — It’s over 240 pages long, and it’s promising to cut through Ottawa’s thickest red tape.

Bill C-39 — also known as the Building Canada Strong Act — passed first reading in the House of Commons on Monday, and is the Mark Carney Liberals’ sweeping omnibus bill designed to fast-track major infrastructure and “nation-building” projects by setting strict one-year caps on impact assessments and permit approvals.

“A year ago, we began the Parliamentary session with a clear promise — to build a strong Canada,” said Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon during a press conference Monday evening.

“As the prime minister says, we can give ourselves far more.”

Labour issues a sticking point

Beyond streamlining project approvals, the legislation also targets labour disruptions that pose direct risks to Canada’s supply chains.

The proposed bill would amend the Canada Labour Code to create a clear framework that allows cabinet to summarily extend expired contracts, order striking workers back to work, and force binding arbitration if the strike poses “significant adverse national impact.”

That naturally has rankled both labour leaders and the federal NDP, who took to the podium on Monday to air their grievances with the bill.

“The headlines are clear — changes to the labour code that attack the right of workers to strike, and doubling down on an already rushed and risky process for massive industrial projects,” said NDP Leader Avi Lewis.

“This bill would pass into law the wishlist of some of the biggest corporations and financial players in Canada, and around the world. It’s no wonder that Stephen Harper and other prominent conservatives have been cheering from the sidelines.”

The bill, Lewis said, would create more problems than it would solve, and cause labour turmoil instead of calming it.

Under the proposed rules, the bill would require special mediators to publish public reports before federal intervention could take place.

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Streamlined approvals, less duplication

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the bill furthers the work of Canada’s Major Projects Office, created last year to facilitate a number of major projects deemed to be of national significance.

“Since then, we’ve referred 27 nation-building initiatives, projects and strategies,” he said, representing a potential of $500 billion in new, private investment opportunities.

“Today, we are applying the same urgency and efficiency to projects of all sizes across the economy.”

Bill C-39, he said, will create the conditions to establish efficient and predictable reviews for these projects, as well as clearer project approval timelines and measures to reduce delays and duplication.

“Our standards will be simple — one project, one review, and one year to a decision.”

Bill C-39 is currently awaiting second reading in the House of Commons.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
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