CBC News reported earlier this week that the memorandum of understanding between the federal and provincial governments is likely to include some language about a path forward for the northwest B.C. oil pipeline that Smith has long demanded. The federal source, who CBC News has agreed not to name because they weren't authorized to speak about the agreement, said the Thursday date is subject to change.
There's plenty to be alarmed about. Born in the heat of US president Donald Trump's trade war, and out of the scramble to assert some measure of economic independence in an uncertain world, Bill C-5 is dressed in the language of efficiency. Should a mine or pipeline be judged vital to Canada, the nation won't wait. That speed comes, in part, from creating a single, expedited regulatory process.