Selected FNIM Responses to the Passage of Bill C-5
Bill C‑5, passed by the Canadian federal government on June 26, 2025, formally titled the One Canadian Economy Act combines two major policy frameworks: the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act.1 Together, these are said to aim at eliminating internal trade barriers across provinces and territories, standardizing labour mobility, and granting the federal government the authority to fast-track major resource and infrastructure projects designated as being of national interest. 1 While the government has framed the bill as essential for unlocking economic growth, improving competitiveness, and accelerating the development of critical infrastructure, Indigenous communities, environmental advocates, and legal experts have raised alarms about its implications for Indigenous rights, environmental protection, and the democratic oversight of development decisions.2