Ministers Address Legislative Committee
Four federal ministers appeared before the Legislative Committee on Bill C-39 in Ottawa on Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, to defend the government’s legislation aimed at accelerating major infrastructure projects. The bill proposes to expand the government’s "one-project, one-review, within one-year" approach for major infrastructure plans to other projects across the country.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon were among the officials testifying before the committee. The 243-page bill would fast-track approvals for major projects, cut review times, and create zones of "national interest" to pre-approve certain types of developments.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu stated that the legislation strengthens the right to strike by removing the ability to use Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code before a labour disruption occurs. She added that the government has the responsibility to act when an exceptionally consequential dispute remains unresolved with no path to resolution in sight.
"Protecting workers and protecting the national interest go hand in hand," Hajdu said during her testimony.
Labour Provisions and Union Opposition
The legislation proposes changes to the Canada Labour Code, specifically adjusting Section 107 to explicitly state that a minister can order a business under federal jurisdiction to resume operations or put parties into binding arbitration. The bill adds conditions the federal government must meet before triggering Section 107: it must consider a special mediator’s report and determine whether a work stoppage is adversely affecting the "national interest."
Labour leaders and union members gathered across Canada last week to protest Bill C-39, arguing the legislation would undermine workers’ right to strike. The Liberals have in recent years leaned on this contentious part of the law to shut down strikes in federally regulated sectors such as rail, ports and air transportation.
Labour experts have said the new language likely does confer additional powers on the minister — and those powers will be subject to Charter challenges questioning their constitutionality. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said the legislation looks to reduce administrative burdens while also maintaining strong safety and environmental standards.
Indigenous Concerns and Political Response
A collective of First Nations groups condemned the legislation, arguing it would weaken environmental oversight and strip away their ability to influence decisions affecting their territories. The Chiefs of Ontario, Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations said their "free, prior, and informed consent cannot be squeezed into a predetermined federal project timeline."
Dominic LeBlanc stated Monday that Bill C-39 does not reduce Ottawa’s requirement to consult with Indigenous rights holders and "a more efficient process does not mean a less rigorous one." The legislation is a core part of the Liberals’ plans to pivot the economy away from reliance on the United States and present Canada as a reliable trading partner to overseas markets.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said earlier this month that his party would support sending the legislation to the committee study in order to propose amendments to what he called a "weak, watered-down, long-delayed" bill. Poilievre told reporters he wants the government to speed up the decision timeline on projects to between six months and a year, and to add measures to protect workers’ rights.
He also said Conservatives would seek to eliminate the industrial carbon price and create shovel-ready zones with pre-permitting for developments. Members of Parliament have passed a motion to begin clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-39 in mid-November.