Carney's 'nation-building' projects bill faces uncertain future in unpredictable Senate

John Paul Tasker · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 25, 2025 3:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Prime Minister Mark Carney's point-person successful the Senate is pressing for the swift transition of the government's landmark "nation-building" projects bill, but helium isn't certain he tin get it done unamended earlier the precocious location is scheduled to interruption for the summer.

In an interrogation with CBC News connected Wednesday, Sen. Marc Gold, the authorities typical charged with shepherding C-5 done the Red Chamber, said helium wants the measure to walk this week with nary changes to fulfil Carney's committedness to "build big, physique bold."

But, with senators fundamentally escaped agents aft a bid of changes nether erstwhile premier curate Justin Trudeau, it's hard to accidental what the result volition beryllium — fixed the disapproval from immoderate Indigenous leaders and environmentalists, Gold said.

"I don't cognize what volition occur," Gold said of imaginable amendments. "But I judge the measure arsenic written is firmly anchored successful the Constitution. I judge that measure reflects a wide electoral mandate that was fixed to this government.

"This is an important measurement towards gathering an historical infinitesimal for Canada," helium said. "I americium hopeful the Senate volition walk it unamended, I person assurance that senators volition perceive to the arguments arsenic to wherefore this measure should beryllium passed now."

The legislation, which easy cleared the Commons past week with Liberal and Conservative support, essentially gives furniture the quality to prime projects to velocity done the regulatory process, with an oculus to projects that tin present an economical boost to Canada and assistance fortify the country's autonomy and resilience arsenic it grapples with a U.S. commercialized war.

WATCH | What is Bill C-5?:

The Senate has agreed to study, statement and walk the measure by Friday — but an amendment could propulsion a wrench successful the works.

Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaw legislator from Nova Scotia, is promising to "slow down the process" with an amendment to springiness Indigenous people more clip to measurement successful and marque their pitches to alteration the bill.

The authorities itself states the authorities volition recognize, affirm and "respect" Indigenous Peoples' law rights erstwhile considering a task to fast-track.

But there's a fearfulness among immoderate leaders that the consultation process with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities volition beryllium inadequate fixed Carney campaigned connected making last decisions wrong a two-year timeline. These leaders privation protections for what's called "free, anterior and informed consent" successful the Indigenous ineligible sphere.

"If you don't bash it right, we're looking astatine immoderate imaginable litigation successful the future. It's champion to beryllium proactive now," Prosper told reporters past week.

Proposed amendment expected

A spokesperson for Prosper confirmed to CBC News that he's inactive readying to suggest an amendment to code immoderate of the concerns raised by rights holders.

An amendment from Prosper oregon anybody other could beryllium a occupation for the government, if backed by the wider Senate.

Any legislative changes would besides request to beryllium agreed to by MPs — and the House of Commons has already risen and it's not owed to instrumentality until mid-September.

If an amendment goes through, either MPs would person to beryllium called backmost to Ottawa oregon the measure could beryllium near connected the bid insubstantial for further treatment and support successful the fall.

That's thing Carney and his authorities privation to avoid, fixed the full constituent is to fast-track approvals and get shovels successful the crushed quickly.

WATCH | Some 'learnings' from C-5 process: 

"There's a process that the Senate has committed to, to get to a last ballot connected it by [Friday]," Government House person Steven MacKinnon said. "It's a precise important authorities that has monolithic enactment among Canadians."

After Trudeau kicked Liberal senators retired of the nationalist caucus and instituted a bid of reforms, astir members of the precocious location beryllium successful loosely constituted groups wherever votes aren't whipped and senators tin marque amendments arsenic they please.

The Senate has acted rapidly connected immoderate authorities bills portion taking its clip with others, including the past Liberal government's streaming measure and firearms instrumentality changes, which were debated for months.

Still, Gold said helium hopes a bulk of senators recognize conscionable however important it is to get the measure passed this week. He said that would let the authorities to commencement liaising with task proponents, premiers and Indigenous communities connected what to approve.

While acknowledging the timeline is rather fast, Gold said senators sat for hours of pre-study past week earlier getting the authorities from the Commons and, by Friday, it volition beryllium clip to marque a last decision.

"We person done our job," helium said. "The authorities volition talk against amendments if it comes to that and effort to transportation the bulk of senators to hold with us." 

The authorities itself doesn't o.k. immoderate peculiar task and determination volition beryllium clip for much in-depth consultations with Indigenous radical and different funny parties erstwhile the approvals process for immoderate is pitched gets underway, Gold said.

"This is authorities that sets retired a framework. These projects won't hap overnight," helium said. 

While the authorities doesn't dictate what should beryllium built, Carney has signalled it could beryllium utilized to greenlight caller vigor "corridors" successful the eastbound and west, including imaginable pipelines and energy grids, caller and expanded larboard facilities, mines and different resource-related initiatives.