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2mo ago

House Clears Bill C-5 to Fast-Track Infrastructure and Trade

Formal talks with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders will begin in mid-July to address constitutional rights concerns.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is joined by members of his cabinet and caucus as he speaks at a news conference in the Foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa, after Bill C-5 passed in the House, on Friday, June 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at a news conference in the Foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa, after Bill C-5 passed in the House, on Friday, June 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Overview

  • The House of Commons approved Bill C-5 on June 20, ending Parliament’s last sitting before summer and forwarding the legislation to the Senate, which is expected to vote by June 27.
  • Bill C-5 eliminates federal barriers to interprovincial trade and authorizes the cabinet to list major energy, mining and infrastructure projects as national priorities for expedited approval.
  • Carney has pledged full-day summits starting July 17 with First Nations rights-holders, followed by meetings with Inuit and Métis leadership later in July to refine consultation processes.
  • Assembly of First Nations national chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak and other Indigenous leaders warn the bill could circumvent existing rights protections and have signaled potential legal challenges if consultation proves inadequate.
  • Conservative MPs backed the legislation for its economic boost, the NDP criticized the government’s shift rightward, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford issued an apology this week for remarks about First Nations communities.