Story perspectives

Carney Introduces Bill C-39 to Speed Project Approvals

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 12:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mark Carney Introduces

Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced Bill C-39 to speed project approvals and amend the Labour Code.
Bill C-39 sets a one-year deadline for all federal project reviews.
The labour minister may end a strike deemed in the national interest under the bill.
Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske says the changes jeopardize the right to strike.
Assembly of First Nations chief Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak warns the Major Projects Office lacks Indigenous expertise.

Summary

CUPE Challenges Section 107

CUPE filed multiple court challenges questioning Section 107’s constitutionality after the Air Canada flight-attendant order.
Statscan reported 6.6 million person-days lost to labour disputes in 2023, the highest since 1986.
University of Ottawa law professor Andrea Talarico said the Section 107 controversy will likely reach the Supreme Court.
Legal experts warn the government may argue the bill renders existing Section 107 challenges moot, but courts could reject that.

History

Historical Context

Since the Trade Disputes Act of 1906 granted unions immunity for strikes in a trade dispute, modern proposals to limit strike powers echo similar restrictions codified in Britain’s Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, which confines union action to sections 219-246 and bans secondary strikes. The historic shift from broad strike rights to statutory controls frames today’s legal challenges.

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Mark Carney Introduces

Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced Bill C-39 to speed project approvals and amend the Labour Code.
Bill C-39 sets a one-year deadline for all federal project reviews.
The labour minister may end a strike deemed in the national interest under the bill.
Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske says the changes jeopardize the right to strike.
Assembly of First Nations chief Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak warns the Major Projects Office lacks Indigenous expertise.

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