Good afternoon. Hello everyone.

Today is an important day for Canada, and it's a day that has literally been decades in the making. Minister LeBlanc has just tabled our government's One Canadian Economy legislation, a bill with two equally important components designed to create one Canadian economy out of 13. A bill that is laser focused on building a stronger, more competitive and a more resilient Canadian economy that works for all Canadians. A bill that meets this hinge moment with the urgency and determination it requires. 

The first component of the bill eliminates federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility. It's our contribution to a broader effort with all the provinces and territories to eliminate the barriers that have held our country back for far too long, barriers that cost Canadians as much as $200 billion every year. With the One Canadian Economy bill, we are aligning federal rules and regulations with those from the provinces and territories, helping to create one market; not 13. 

That will allow more goods, more services to be transported, sold and bought across our nation without restriction, generating new opportunities for Canadian businesses and lowering costs for Canadian consumers. It will allow Canadian workers to do their jobs wherever they want in this great country. Provinces and territories have already announced seven similar initiatives this year; more in the works. The momentum to give Canadians, from coast to coast to coast, what they deserve is now extraordinary.

We are making it easier for Canadians to work across the country without having to deal with excessive red tape. We are encouraging the provinces and territories to do the same with respect to their own accreditation and certification requirements for skilled workers, such as healthcare workers, teachers and others. We are establishing true free trade across Canada. 

The second component of the bill enables the federal government to identify and expedite nation-building projects. Canada is a country that used to build big things. Expo 67 – the World Fair – went from concept to completion in four and a half years. The St. Lawrence Seaway, seven locks stretching over 300 kilometers that has transported more than 3 billion tons of cargo since it opened in 1959, took just five years to build. 

But in recent decades, it's become too difficult to build in this country. Right now, to receive approval, major projects must undergo numerous reviews and assessments that often happen sequentially, one after another, rather than simultaneously all at once. That process is arduous, it takes too long and it's holding our country back. For too long, when federal agencies have examined a new project, their immediate question has been “Why?” With this bill, we will instead ask ourselves, “How?”

With our One Canadian Economy bill, we will identify projects of national interest – that is, those that strengthen Canada's self-reliance, resilience and security, have clear benefits to Canada, have a high probability of success, are a priority for Indigenous communities, and contribute to clean growth and Canada's climate objectives. For projects that meet these criteria, we will consider them approved from the outset, and accelerate the assessment process.

With this new process in this landmark bill, once a project has been designated as being in the national interest, a new federal Major Project Office will bring together all the relevant federal departments and agencies to provide a single set of conditions that must be met for the project to move forward. Our office will work with the nation-building projects in a streamlined process. Proponents will know what they need to do for final approval on their projects, and that approval coming within a maximum of two years if all the conditions are fulfilled. 

We will also enter into cooperation agreements with all interested provinces and territories within six months to achieve our goal of one project, one review.

Crucially, this legislation mandates that there must be meaningful consultation with Indigenous peoples consistent with Section 35 of the Constitution and the duty to consult during both the process of determining which projects are in the national interest, and the development of the rigorous conditions for each of those projects. Indigenous expertise will be at the center of this new process, including through an Indigenous advisory council comprising First Nations, Métis and Inuit representation to provide guidance to the new federal Major Projects Office. 

We will also be providing funding for Indigenous participation in this new process of evaluation from start to finish. At the same time, being a reliable partner to Indigenous people is not just about upholding the duty to consult; enabling the creation of long-term wealth and prosperity for Indigenous peoples through equity ownership is central to building Canada strong. And that's why we're doubling the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion, enabling more Indigenous communities to become owners of major projects. 

The objective of this bill is to accelerate projects of national interest so that we can create more good careers and prosperity across Canada, while respecting our obligations to Indigenous peoples, including the principle of free, prior and informed consent, and our stringent environmental standards.

As the legislation states, the purpose is to enhance Canada's prosperity, national security, economic security and national autonomy, while protecting the environment and upholding the rights of Indigenous peoples. As I said at the First Ministers’ meeting earlier this week, we're working alongside this to get the illegal and unjustified tariffs the Americans have imposed on our nation, lifted as soon as possible. We're fighting to get the best deal for Canada and we will take all the time necessary; but no more than that. 

At the same time, we are building new trade relationships around the world. Those new relationships will make us more resilient. But by building at home, we will truly make Canada strong. That's what First Ministers unanimously committed to in Saskatoon on Monday; that's why we're introducing the legislation today. We're giving Canadians the ability to give ourselves far more than any foreign government can ever take away. We can build big, build bold, build now, build one Canadian economy, build a better Canada for all, and for all time.