With Parliament back in session today, Mark Carney hopes his government can move fast without breaking too many things.
What happened: Parliament returns today and the Liberal government is expected to move quickly to introduce legislation to speed up the approval of infrastructure projects and overhaul Canada’s labour laws.
Insiders believe that one new bill, which could be introduced as soon as today, will make it easier for the federal government to intervene in labour disputes and order an end to strikes and lockouts.
The government is also expected to broaden the scope of projects that qualify for fast-track regulatory sign-off in an effort to bring approval times down to a maximum of one year for all projects.
Why it matters: Last week’s Investment Summit got lots of attention, but now is when the rubber hits the road for the government’s effort to put a charge into Canada’s economy — including with measures that are likely to draw intense criticism.
Labour unions, for example, are likely to push back hard on any attempt by Ottawa to interfere further in collective bargaining (something Unifor President Lana Payne alluded to in a post on X yesterday).
Similarly, regulatory speed-ups will likely draw the ire of Indigenous groups, environmental activists, and — as in the case of the Alto high-speed rail project — local communities that don’t want projects developed nearby.
Zoom out: In addition to trying to carry out a major economic agenda amid a trade war with the world’s largest economy, the government will also need to navigate the impact of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, an independence referendum in Alberta, and dire warnings about rogue AI wiping out the species — just a light day at the office.
Bottom line: For now, the Carney government enjoys sky-high approval ratings. This session of Parliament will be a test of how popular it can remain while carrying out ambitious economic reforms that have faced steep political hurdles in the past.—TS
