Mark Carney warns that ‘foreign threats' mean Canada needs to move faster

Hamilton Spectator

a day ago

There is a need for speed.
That's the message from Prime Minister Mark Carney as he convenes the premiers Sunday in Saskatoon.
Carney told the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa on Friday that he wants to work with the provinces to fast-track the building of housing on a massive scale in Canada as well as accelerating 'nation-building' projects and streamlining environmental assessments.
Without mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump's name, the prime minister prompted laughter from mayors when he underscored the importance of Canada moving quickly to make its economy more resilient.
'In face of foreign threats — no prize for guessing what I'm saying, I'm trying to learn some diplomacy from the King,' he said, referring to King Charles, who delivered Monday's throne speech, 'a core priority of this government is to build projects of national significance, projects that reinforce our country's resilience, projects that connect Canada, projects that partner with Indigenous Peoples, that diversify our trading partners and create a more sustainable future for all.'
Carney cited potential projects like the long-discussed high-speed rail line between Windsor and Quebec City, upgrades to ports and other infrastructure as key to diversifying Canada's trading relationships and reducing its reliance on the U.S.
'We will move from delay to delivery, ensuring that the Canadian government becomes a catalyst for, not an impediment to, nation building projects that will supercharge growth in communities both large and small,' he said.
That was music to the ears of Premier Doug Ford, who would like to expedite the Ring of Fire mining project in northern Ontario and new nuclear reactors, among other big-ticket priorities.
'He wants to work collaboratively,' Ford said of Carney, noting that was not always the case with former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
'The previous government and previous prime minister didn't show enough love, in my opinion, to Alberta and Saskatchewan. We have to be a united country,' said the Ontarian, who chairs the Council of the Federation.
'I believe (Carney) is creating that environment of making sure that we build large national infrastructure projects,' he said, expressing hope the prime minister will revisit Trudeau's Impact Assessment Act that limits pipeline construction and is unpopular in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
'As long as you have Bill C-69 it's like five steps forward, 10 steps backwards. We should all be in agreement right across the country, you can't move forward as long as you have Bill C-69.'
Ford's comments at Queen's Park come as his Progressive Conservative government is in the midst of pushing through its controversial Bill 5 that would limit environmental assessments and create 'special economic zones' exempt from many municipal and provincial rules to speed up infrastructure projects.
Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said last-minute government amendments aimed at easing Indigenous
That has raised concerns from some Indigenous leaders that First Nation treaty rights are being violated, which could lead to protests.
'I had a great meeting with Chief (Abram) Benedict last week when I had him over to the house. This isn't about hurting First Nations. This is about giving them an opportunity,' Ford said of the Ontario Regional Chief.
'We're always going to respect treaty rights. We're always going to have duty to consult but let's look across the country,' he said.
'Forget political stripes. We have ... NDP Premier (David) Eby (in British Columbia) saying we have to move on this. We have a Liberal government (in Ottawa) that's saying it's ridiculous it takes 15 years (to approve a mine). Either make changes or you fall behind and you get destroyed by the rest of the world that will eat our lunch.'
Carney suggested in an interview earlier this week with David Cochrane on CBC Power and Politics that he is prepared to release a list of projects that would be fast-tracked after the summit.
Ahead of the meeting, Quebec Premier François Legault told reporters he believes the federal government should help foot the bill for Quebec's planned expansion of hydroelectrical developments in Labrador.
Already several First Nations leaders have suggested they want a greater say in what developments get the green light.
Carney's governing agenda, laid out in the throne speech Tuesday pledged that Ottawa would work with Indigenous groups.
'As Canada moves forward with nation-building projects, the government will always be firmly guided by the principle of free, prior, and informed consent,' it said, echoing the principle enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Natan Obed, leader of the national group representing Inuit people, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said in an interview that Ottawa's requirement to consult, work with and obtain the consent of Inuit communities is 'baked into' the modern-day treaties that govern the relationship between the federal government and the Inuit.
He has appealed to Carney to include Indigenous leaders in talks with the premiers in Saskatoon.
'We recognize as Inuit that there will be issues that first ministers will need to discuss with the Canadian prime minister' that deal with their particular concerns, but he said 'there are shared interests, and there's shared governance and we have to be a part of these conversations that will lead to decisions that are made on behalf of all Canadians.'