MPs return for break with debate set on key legislation and new bill on the table

OTTAWA — Parliamentarians are back in Ottawa where debate is set to continue on the government’s 243-page economic and labour bill, with plans to introduce legislation focused on national defence and security procurement.

The government’s key piece of economic legislation, Bill C-39, proposes measures to create a one-year timeline for federal project decisions, create zones of “national interest” where certain projects are pre-approved and change when the jobs minister can intervene in a labour dispute — a move aimed at reducing the number of work stoppages.

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The legislation is expected to be pushed for committee study. Instead of going to a regular standing committee, the House of Commons will create a special committee to study the wide-ranging bill.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, has warned the government against “abusing” its majority powers to pass the bill as it could affect First Nations rights if it limits mandatory consultation.

The bill has also faced pushback from labour groups, including the Canadian Labour Congress, who say the proposed powers threaten the right to strike.

Bea Bruske, Canadian Labour Congress president, says the International Trade Union Confederation has written a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney saying the proposed labour regulations are “highly likely to violate” Canada’s international labour obligations.

“Canada has a long history of standing up for fundamental labour rights,” Bruske said in a statement. “It should concern all of us when the international labour movement is warning that legislation before our Parliament could put those commitments at risk. This is an opportunity for the government to reconsider these provisions and get this right.”

CUPE, one of Canada’s largest union’s, has pledged to defy Bill C-39 should it pass without amendment. Members of the business sector, meanwhile, have said the bill doesn’t go far enough to stave off job action.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has said the bill will put “guardrails” around ministerial powers to intervene in a strike or lockout and force people back to work.

Procurement Minister Joel Lightbound put a piece of legislation on the notice paper Friday, entitled “an act respecting production, procurement and investment in relation to national defence and national security.”

Lightbound’s portfolio includes the Defence Investment Agency, meant to overhaul defence procurement, that was created a year ago.

The government has been quickly increasing its defence spending with the goal of meeting the NATO target of putting five per cent of GDP into defence spending annually.

On the opposition benches, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has put a notice on motion that his party will call on the government to set a goal of Canada producing one-million barrels of diesel per day amid high fuel prices.

He said in a video released Sunday this would be done with emergency permits and tax relief for refining, storage and transportation.

The Conservative motion also calls on the government to extend the fuel excise tax exemption until at least July 1, 2027.

Poilievre added the government should create a strategic energy reserve so there are stockpiles in the event of shortages driving up prices.

“We are the only G7 country that has no such reserve, even though we have the most oil right beneath our feet. So we could be joining them to release the 100 million barrels of oil they’re putting on the market right now,” Poilievre said.

The International Energy Agency stipulates that member nations must maintain a 90-day supply of their net fuel imports that can be used in the event of shortages. Canada is exempt from this rule because it exports more fuel than the country consumes.

This comes as last week closed with near record-high diesel prices, with the Canadian average being about $2.60 per litre.

The current fuel excise tax pause, which was extended last month until Jan. 31, 2027, will see the tax gradually climbing back to being fully in place on April 1, 2027.

Parliamentarians will be in Ottawa until Friday, when they return to their ridings for another constituency week to coincide with Thanksgiving.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2026.

— With files from Craig Lord and Alessia Passafiume.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press