Unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin Territories [OTTAWA], 16 June 2025:
Climate Action Network Canada is deeply concerned by the Senate’s decision to fast-track their review of Bill C-5, which contains the proposed Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the proposed Building Canada Act.
By reducing the amount of time spent reviewing the sweeping changes proposed in Bill C-5, the Senate is abdicating their vital role as the chamber of sober second thought.
As written, Bill C-5 would jeopardize democratic processes, environmental protections, and Indigenous rights. The proposed legislation would allow Cabinet to pre-approve major resource extraction projects first, and then go through a cursory, shortened legislative and regulatory approval process. This shortened process does not include public participation opportunities, effectively shutting the public out of decisions that affect them.
Bill C-5 also allows Cabinet to exempt projects from the application of any federal law. This means that projects in the so-called national interest could ignore federal protections for species at risk, sensitive ecosystems, air and water quality, and limitations on greenhouse gas emissions.
In pre-approving projects, Bill C-5 undermines the value of consultation and an Indigenous community’s ability to provide their free, prior, and informed consent. Consultation on a shortened timeline for a project that is already approved hardly lives up to the federal government’s constitutional obligation to consult Indigenous Peoples whose rights may be affected by the project. Consent must be given prior to project approval, not extracted from an Indigenous community after Cabinet has already decided that a project is in the national interest.
The Senate must not pass Bill C-5 in its current form. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government must take the time necessary to draft legislation that is genuinely nation-building—rather than a bill that provides shortcuts to industry while sacrificing democratic norms, environmental protections, and Indigenous rights.
Quotes:
Alex Cool-Fergus, National Policy Manager, Climate Action Network Canada:
“Bill C-5 risks increasing Canada’s entanglement in extractive industries for the sake of tenuous short- term profits, at the expense of our long-term future on this planet. This Bill is a hastily drafted and sloppy piece of legislation that would expedite project approvals for major resource extraction projects. Canada doesn’t need more dependency on unsustainable extractive industries: we need the federal government to chart a path through the energy transition and to light the way to a net-zero economy. The Senate must send Bill C-5 back to the drawing board.”
Amara Possian, Canada Team Lead, 350.org:
“As supercharged wildfires devastate communities across Canada, Bill C-5 hands the fossil fuel lobby a dangerous shortcut that weakens environmental protections, democratic oversight, and Indigenous rights. Canada needs bold, community-led infrastructure like a clean, connected East-West electricity grid, backed by strong federal leadership and funding—not reckless legislation. The Senate must reject Bill C-5 and send it back to the drawing board.”
France-Isabelle Langlois, Executive Director, Amnistie internationale Canada francophone:
“Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the eagerness of Canada’s newly-elected Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to bypass parliamentary and democratic processes by stifling debate on Bill C-5. This sets a worrying precedent for the future, and for the Canadian rule of law. We call on the Senate to bring its full weight to bear, and demand respect for the parliamentary process.”
Dr. Moe Qureshi, Director of Climate Research and Policy, Conservation Council of New Brunswick:
“Bill C-5 represents a dangerous rollback of democratic safeguards, environmental protections, and Indigenous rights. The Senate must halt this fast-tracking and ensure full public and parliamentary scrutiny before any such sweeping changes become law.”
Thomas Arnason McNeil, Senior Energy Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre:
“If the role of the Senate of Canada is to provide sober second thought, then Senators have an essential role to play in ensuring that Bill C-5 receives proper, careful consideration. An attempt to give the federal government sweeping powers to sidestep laws, including environmental protections, is a worrying development which could impact the interests of Atlantic Canadians. Any project that is truly in the national interest should adhere to environmental protections and respect Canada’s obligations under the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in our region.”
Shanaaz Gokool, Executive Director, Leadnow:
“Bill C-5 is a reckless and dangerous bill that puts polluters first — giving the federal government unchecked power to sidestep environmental protections, silence communities, and violate Indigenous rights, all to the benefit of the fossil fuel industry. Locking Canada into more pipelines doesn’t bring us more security or prosperity – it does the opposite. On behalf of all concerned Canadians, the Senate must reject C-5 and demand that the government put people and climate first in so-called “national interest” projects.”
France Pomminville, Executive Director, Climate Reality Canada:
“As a society, we cannot build a prosperous future by sacrificing our democratic principles and our commitment to environmental protection. As currently written, Bill C-5 paves the way for decisions made behind closed doors, without adequate consultation, and without regard for the ecological limits of our planet. At a time when climate impacts are intensifying, it is more critical than ever that development be rooted in respect for Indigenous rights, democratic processes, and climate science.”
Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist, Greenpeace Canada:
“With great power comes great responsibility, yet the Senate is abdicating its responsibility for sober second thought on a bill that grants extraordinary powers to bypass Canada’s environmental laws and our obligation to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of affected Indigenous communities.”
Joy Kennedy, Co-Convenor, Canadian Interfaith Fast For the Climate:
“Even in times of crisis the adage of ‘Haste makes waste’ holds true. With wisdom we must consider and calculate the risk of unintended consequences, especially in the Chamber of sober second thought. Our near term needs should not abrogate our long term goals and sustainable future. This decision on C5 must rest on a sure foundation. There is still time.”
Kenneth Andrew Love, Climate Messengers Canada:
“The Government of Canada is pushing Bill C-5 through Parliament in a way that truncates responsible consideration of the bill – which itself proposes to truncate responsible consideration of selected large projects that could potentially emit many megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. This is exactly the wrong approach at a time when we must reduce those emissions. Both the Commons and the Senate must insist on taking the time they need to adequately review this bill.”
Dr. Melissa Lem, President, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE):
“As physicians, we cannot stand by while legislation that threatens people’s health, environment and Indigenous rights is rushed through without proper scrutiny. Bill C-5 would allow projects to bypass critical protections that safeguard the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the ecosystems that sustain our communities’ health. The Senate must fulfill its duty to provide sober second thought to this Bill as our democratic process demands.”
Gretchen Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada Foundation:
“We need to move quickly to solve climate change and protect and restore nature – that is truly the only way to “build Canada”. Locking the public out of evaluating what is in their best interests is a throwback to a colonial era whose harms to Indigenous peoples, human health, and nature we do not want to replicate. There are so many good projects that could be efficiently and thoroughly assessed through existing processes, such as offshore wind, and east-west electrical grid, and projects to put people to work restoring nature. Instead, this foolhardy bill is designed to give a free pass to projects that will benefit big corporations in the oil and gas and nuclear industries over the rest of us.”
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Canada’s farthest-reaching network of organizations working on climate and energy issues, Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat (CAN-Rac) Canada is a coalition of over 180 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Vicky Coo, Communications Manager
comms@climateactionnetwork.ca