Carney government tabling 'consequential' legislation this fall in majority test

Prime Minister Mark Carney told Liberal MPs on Friday the autumn parliamentary session will be decisive for Canada, calling it "a crucial session of the House of Commons" where the government will "introduce some of the most consequential legislation, not just of this government, but in decades."

Carney promised "sweeping new economic legislation and a punishing pace this fall," telling caucus that the summer activities were "just the warm-up."

Parliament returns September 23. The Liberals hold a majority after recent by-elections in Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario in August. The government tabled the Building Canada Strong Act on Monday, which extends the fast-track regulatory process beyond the Major Projects Office to a broader range of projects.

Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the bill will include changes to the Canada Labour Code, measures to improve supply chains, and next steps to reduce regulatory reviews for all projects to one year. New social media regulations tabled last spring await debate. The government's second budget — its first with a majority — will land later this fall.

Carney's government also faces a crowded calendar: a Quebec election is scheduled for October 3, an Alberta referendum for October 19, and a Canada-European Union summit in Montreal for October 29. Trade talks with the United States collapsed in late August.