Sitting 142 — September 23, 2026

The sitting was dominated by second reading debate on the Building Canada Strong Act, an omnibus economic bill that would designate national trade corridors, create a corridors council, modernize port governance, coordinate federal permitting with a one-year decision target, and add new powers over labour disputes. The central argument was whether the bill would actually accelerate construction or merely add bureaucracy and discretion while eroding environmental assessment and the right to strike. Private Members' Business on a Criminal Code bill concerning medical assistance in dying and a lengthy Oral Questions session on affordability rounded out the day.

On the Building Canada Strong Act, Transport Minister Steven Mackinnon (Liberal) opened, saying the bill responds to shifting supply chains and the goal of doubling non-U.S. exports, and that it would streamline rather than expand process. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre opposed it, arguing the earlier Building Canada Act produced no approvals, that the one-year timeline can be paused or extended indefinitely, and that the bill leaves environmental law untouched; he called for repealing the prior impact assessment law, the tanker ban and the industrial carbon price. Bloc Québécois members Andréanne Larouche and Gabriel Ste-Marie opposed the bill, citing the Canadian Labour Congress's objection to new back-to-work powers, the shift of assessments to the Canada Energy Regulator, and the pre-approval of projects before assessment. New Democrat Heather McPherson said unions warned the new powers undermine the right to strike and asked that they be removed; Mackinnon replied that guardrails would govern existing section 107 authority. Green leader Elizabeth May called the bill an abomination and asked for cost-benefit analysis before designations. Liberal members Braeden Caley, Steeve Lavoie and Élisabeth Brière supported it, citing port modernization, shipbuilding contracts and faster timelines. Conservative Dan Albas questioned ministerial discretion over early site work and the absence of clear rules.

On the Criminal Code private member's bill, Bloc Québécois member Luc Thériault opposed it, arguing that excluding patients with a mental disorder from eligibility is discriminatory and unconstitutional and that the matter should go to the Supreme Court, with the sunset clause not removed prematurely. Conservative members Michael Cooper, Jeremy Patzer, Arnold Viersen and sponsor Tamara Jansen supported the bill, citing psychiatric testimony that irremediability cannot be predicted, the special joint committee's recommendation for indefinite exclusion, and the March 2027 coming-into-force date; Jansen urged colleagues to fix wording at committee rather than defeat the bill. Liberal Kevin Lamoureux said he did not believe exclusion was the right approach and noted the issue arose from court decisions. A recorded vote was requested.