Government rejects Bloc’s call to split internal trade, major projects legislation

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Steven MacKinnon arrives for a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — Government House leader Steven MacKinnon says the Liberals won’t split up Bill C-5, legislation introduced last week to push forward projects deemed to be in the national interest.

The bill has two parts. The first portion addresses internal trade barriers the Liberals have promised to tackle by July 1, while the second part would make sweeping changes to speed up approvals of major projects.

The Bloc Québécois says splitting the legislation into two bills would allow the House of Commons to quickly pass the internal trade portion and meet the deadline while thoroughly studying the environmental implications of the major projects proposal.

The minority Liberal government needs the support of at least four MPs from another party to pass the bill.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said his party will support legislation that gets new projects built — but he also said he wants the current bill amended to go even further.

Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested last week he would consider extending the House sitting into July to get the legislation passed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press