June 26,2025
RED FM News Desk
Ottawa -The Senate passed the Liberal government’s controversial major projects bill on Thursday—legislation that Indigenous leaders say could spark widespread protests and legal action if the government fails to uphold their rights and land titles.
Known as Bill C-5, the law gives the federal government the authority to fast-track major economic development projects by bypassing environmental regulations and other existing laws.
Earlier drafts of the bill included a clause that would have allowed Ottawa to override the Indian Act, but that section was removed before the bill passed. The bill has faced strong criticism from Indigenous and environmental groups, who accuse the government of pushing it through too quickly and granting itself sweeping new powers to speed up development.
Many Indigenous leaders urged MPs and senators to delay the bill to allow more time for communities to review it and suggest changes with legal advice. A few senators tried to amend the bill to better protect Indigenous rights, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Senator Paul Prosper, a Mi’kmaq, proposed an amendment that would have required free, prior, and informed consent from affected Indigenous communities before any project could be approved. That proposal was rejected. During debate, Prosper read statements from Indigenous leaders expressing strong opposition to the bill.
The legislation reached the Senate on Wednesday, after being fast-tracked through the House of Commons.
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