Liberals Table Bill C-39 to Speed Major Project Approvals Canadian government introduces Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, to accelerate major project approvals, but labour groups raise concerns over changes to the Canada Labour Code. On Monday, the first day back in the House of Commons after a three-month summer hiatus, the Liberals tabled Bill C-39, also known as the Building Canada Strong Act, aimed at speeding up approvals for major projects. The legislation was announced by Government House leader Steven MacKinnon, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, and Dominic LeBlanc, the minister for intergovernmental affairs and One Canadian Economy, and minister of internal trade. The bill is the first piece of legislation of the fall sitting and follows Prime Minister Mark Carney's inaugural investment summit last week, which pitched dozens of foreign investors on more than 150 Canadian infrastructure projects with the goal of courting $1 trillion in funding. Bill C-39 Aims to Accelerate Major ProjectsBill C-39, dubbed the Building Canada Strong Act by the Liberals, is meant to accelerate review and approval times for major projects to get them built quicker. According to a statement from the federal government, the bill will give business the confidence to invest in Canada, accelerate projects, and drive long-term growth and prosperity that protects the environment and upholds Indigenous rights. The government categorizes C-39 as the most comprehensive and ambitious reform to Canada's ability to get big things built in a generation. The statement also says it will reshape the regulatory approvals process, maintain Canada's rigorous standards, and uphold Indigenous rights.The new legislation is built on three pillars, according to the federal government: build Canada now, keep Canada moving, and Canada strong for all. It is under the latter pillar that the government is proposing changes to the Canada Labour Code, pledging to strengthen collective bargaining by helping parties address issues earlier, reach negotiated agreements, and resolve disputes while fully protecting the right to strike.Labour Groups Watchful of Labour Code ChangesLabour groups say they are concerned changes to the Canada Labour Code included in the bill will have adverse consequences for workers and strip them of their right to strike. Specifically, according to a senior government official speaking to reporters during a technical briefing ahead of the official announcement, the changes will largely affect the collective bargaining process for industries that have previously seen strike action or imposed mediation.In a statement Monday, Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske wrote that Canada's unions will be watching C-39 closely. Bruske also wrote that the government has repeatedly said it will protect the right to strike, and unions welcome that commitment. She added that unions expect to see what it means in practice. Bruske then referenced the protracted and ongoing trade war with the United States, writing that Canada's unions are part of Team Canada, have their elbows up, and are ready to build, invest, and fight for Canadian jobs. But she said they cannot have their elbows up against U.S. President Donald Trump with their hands tied at the bargaining table.Bruske said unions will review the legislation carefully and respond once they have done so, but added any restriction on workers' right to strike is unacceptable.Fall Sitting Crucial for Liberal GovernmentAddressing his caucus last week, Carney called the fall sitting of Parliament a crucial one, and promised the Liberals are going to introduce some of the most consequential legislation, not just of this government, but in decades in the coming months. Helping them to get legislation passed, the Liberals currently hold a majority government, after months of floor crossing, resignations, and now two rounds of by-elections.The investment summit last week was part of the government's push to attract foreign investment in Canadian infrastructure. With the tabling of Bill C-39, the Liberals are moving quickly to implement their agenda, but they face scrutiny from labour groups who fear the changes could undermine workers' rights.