Ottawa- Prime Minister Mark Carney held a meeting with hundreds of first nation heads on Thursday, which was amid widespread doubt and disappointment on the law of his controversial major projects.
Bill C -5 gives the federal government to enhance new powers, which liberals call “nation -building projects”.
Carney says that Bill C -5 needs to shore the economy to a trade war with the United States, while opponents have asked it to grab a large -scale power.
What does C -5 do here and what people are saying about it.
What is the problem of solving it?
Canada has built some major projects in the last decade. This has inspired conservatives, some provinces and some industry groups to argue that Ottawa’s regulators are developing back.
Liberals tried to streamline the approval of the project through Bill C -69, an impact assessment law meant to solve environment and indigenous concerns, so that the projects could be asked to keep away from being tied in courts.
Critics say the law has actually been withdrawing major infrastructure projects since the law was really enacted in 2019. Federal conservatives have termed the law as “no peacock pipeline act” and it is deeply unpopular in Alberta and Suskechewan.
Carney was selected with a mandate to diversify the Canadian economy in April and to ensure that exports could easily reach countries beyond the US
Ottawa has also promised to build a northern infrastructure, to meet the target target for significant infrastructure.
Carney stated that Bill C -5 “creates the ability to flip … Once selected to those projects, once the situation can carry forward the situation -how to carry forward projects, as, as opposed to why.”
Which projects can be tracked rapidly?
We do not know yet. The government has pointed to ports, railways and sometimes pipelines. The Ontario government has suggested that a major commuter highway tunnel may qualify as a nation-building project.
What are the provinces doing?
Some provinces have also passed the law with the aim of intensifying development.
The government of Ontario has empowered itself through Bill 5 to nominate “Special Economic Area”, where it can suspend everything from safety rules to environment and labor standards with focus on mining projects.
The Bill of British Columbia allows the province to accelerate anything in local hospitals with important mineral mines.
What is in the federal bill?
There are two main parts of the law.
The first part works to eliminate obstacles for interpreting and labor dynamics and harmony of various rules across the country. This also allows Ottawa to decide that the goods and services that meet the needs of a province can be understood to meet “comparable federal requirements” when transferring interprocessed.
This may include things such as energy efficiency standards on home appliances.
The main part of the bill is related to rapid tracking approval for projects that decide Ottawa “in the national interest.” The government says that the decision is based on five criteria, including whether the project “can strengthen Canada’s autonomy, flexibility and security,” can help fight climate change or “pursue the interests of indigenous people.”
Receiving the seal of approval will clean all federal approval for the project – including all environmental laws – while the proposer needs a proposer to fulfill the obligations prescribed by Otawa.
Why the crowd?
The government rapidly tracked Bill C -5 with the support of the conservatives, and the House billed the Senate with a programming speed that effectively forced the upper chamber to pass it within days.
Critics called for a deep review of the bill, arguing that it did not require it to hurry as the proposed fast-track projects would not start work before returning to their summer breaks of Parliament.
The government could also sit in Parliament in summer, instead of sending MPs and senators home for 12 weeks.
How do indigenous people feel?
The first nation, Inute and Metis leaders have a widespread opposition to the law, who argue that its elements can be used to reduce their rights.
The government amended the law to clarify that it could not eliminate the Indian Act, although indigenous leaders say it still risks fundamental rights. Bill has not mentioned the United Nations declaration. Ottawa has supported the communities that promise “independent, pre -informed consent”.
The Assembly of First Nations warned that the government’s plan to establish the advisory councils after the law enacted does not give real power to indigenous communities on the ground.
Those criticisms were enrolled in a hasty meeting held on Thursday. The heads complain that they are not getting direct talks with Carney and his ministers, while technical staff have been stopped from allowing the meeting to attend the meeting.
Some people went out of the meeting after realizing the free time for the heads to discuss the law with each other instead of direct connection with the government. Other heads boycotted the process.
Alberta’s Chief Fellice Whitford, Chief Fellice Whitford, said that meetings were “political theater” and not meaningful consultation.
“This is a pre-determined process-a process that is derogatory, top-down and (that) divided indigenous leaders, giving privileges to others,” he said.
The Chief Vernon Watchmaker of the Kehwin Cree Nation of Alberta also predicted more court fighting, leading to the trust of low investors, thanks to the law, which centralizes power in Ottawa.
“This is not modernization. It is a colony in 2025,” he said.
Some indigenous communities have welcomed the law, including some Alberta community energy projects in economic stakes and Manitoba Matis Federation. Others say that they are ready to protest against broad, disruptive protests against specific projects.
– Kyle with Duggan and Alesia Paisphium files
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 17 July 2025.
Dylan Robertson, Canadian Press