Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first legislative session has come to an end, with Members of Parliament rising for the summer until Sept. 15.
The Liberal government had four short weeks to keep some of the party’s election campaign promises and set the stage for its tenure, focusing on international and interprovincial trade, infrastructure development and border security.
Here’s where things stand:
What bills have passed the House?
A small handful of bills cleared the House last week, although they have yet to pass through the Senate.
C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act
This controversial bill was one of many that Carney promised during the 2025 election campaign. It does a variety of things, including breaking down barriers for interprovincial trade and speeding up approval times for the development of identified nation-building projects.
This piece of legislation passed through the House on the last day of the spring session with both Liberal and Conservative support. The upper chamber is expected to complete its study of the bill by June 27 ahead of a final vote.
The Liberal government fast-tracked the bill through the House with the intention of having it become law by Canada Day, something environmental critics expressed concern about, arguing the legislation allows cabinet too much power to waive federal regulatory requirements and that development could occur without Indigenous consultation.
Carney has made it clear that he does not intend to skirt government responsibility to properly consult First Nations, saying when the bill passed that the legislation has a “plan embedded” in it to ensure treaty rights are respected. This is supposed to be done through the creation of an Indigenous advisory council, which will guide the government’s new major projects office — the bureau responsible for choosing the nation-building projects supported under Bill C-5.
The Indian Act was also, in committee, added to the list of laws the government cannot sidestep through this bill.
Despite this, some First Nations remain concerned and are warning that legal action could be taken, criticizing the fast-tracking of the bill for not allowing enough Indigenous consultation ahead of its passing. Some communities are also threatening a summer of protests.
Carney, for his part, dismissed suggestions that he could fast-track more bills in the fall session, saying this case was “a unique situation given the crisis.”
C-202 on supply management
The Bloc Quebecois re-introduced a bill in early June to restrict the Minister of Foreign Affairs from making trade commitments related to supply-managed goods like dairy, chicken and eggs. The legislation was quickly passed through both the House and the Senate, and is awaiting royal assent.
The legislation is controversial, with some experts and other sectors warning it could have a negative impact as Canada works towards a trade deal with the United States.
The Bloc tried to get a similar supply management bill through Parliament ahead of the federal election, but it didn’t clear the Senate report stage.
Bill C-6 and C-7, spending bills
These two pieces of legislation encompass some of the federal estimates, outlining about $158 billion in spending for various capital and operating expenditures. Both passed the House and are being reviewed at second reading in the upper chamber.
These bills, in addition to a ways and means motion that also passed through the House for the government to bring in an income tax cut, are meant to replace a spring budget. Carney has postponed the fiscal update to the fall legislative session, arguing there’s “not much value” in rushing the process following the election.
While the Conservatives may have been on board with Bill C-5, they voted against these two pieces of legislation, arguing the Liberals should have been transparent and tabled a full budget instead.
What other bills could return in the fall?
C-2, the Strong Borders Act
This legislation gives officials more power to suspend immigration documents, tighten the asylum claims process, and allow more intelligence collection across government entities, among other things.
This omnibus bill reached second reading in the House.
The legislation has been heavily criticized by advocates worried about how Ottawa could exercise the immigration provisions, saying it would give the government the power to cancel or change immigration documents and institute time limits on asylum seekers making their applications.
Some also question the motivation behind those time limits, which give asylum seekers a year once in Canada to complete their claims and irregular border crossers just 14 days.
Immigration Minister Lena Diab argued the changes are necessary to be more efficient when processing the number of applications.
But Canadian Council for Refugees co-executive director Gauri Sreenivasan says the bill falls short, and that instead of investing in the process to speed up applications, the government is driving people away.
The legislation would also give police more power to open and inspect mail, require electronic service providers to provide police more information without warrant, and outlaw cash transactions greater than $10,000.
Critics argue the legislation is too wide-sweeping and could infringe on personal privacy, as well as breach the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Other bills to watch:
C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act: This legislation was re-tabled by the government this month after dying on the order paper prior to the election. It allows parents to pass their Canadian citizenship on to their children regardless of whether they are born. The law applies to one generation, so if citizenship is passed on to a child born outside of the country, that individual won’t be allowed to go through the same process.
The bill is still undergoing second reading.
C-4, the Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act: This is the result of the Liberals’ ways and means motion cutting the lowest personal income tax bracket to 14.5 per cent for the 2025 tax year and 14 per cent for 2026 onward. The parliamentary budget officer estimated the average Canadian family will save $280 next year if this bill passes.
The legislation completed second reading and is awaiting study by the House finance committee.
You can read more about the other legislation and private member’s bills still on the docket here.
What about tariffs?
The feds have given the United States a month to make a trade deal, with the prime minister telling reporters last week that if there is no agreement by July 21, the government will implement higher counter-tariffs on the steel and aluminum sector.
Those levies would be “consistent with progress that has been made in the broader trading arrangement with the United States,” he explained.
President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that he would be upping existing tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent.
Canada and the U.S. agreed to “pursue negotiations towards a deal within 30 days” at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alta. Carney has been coy on what, exactly, the trade deal would need to include in order for Canada to hold off on retaliatory measures.
At the G7, the two leaders were pleasant towards each other, but seemed at odds as to what a trade deal could involve. Trump told reporters he was a "tariff person,” adding that Carney “has a more complex idea, but also very good.”
Carney has also said that as of June 30, Ottawa will begin limiting access for federal procurement to domestic suppliers and other “reliable trading partners” outside of the U.S. This, in addition to a new tariff rate quota of 100 per cent of 2024 levels on steel imports from countries Canada doesn’t have a free trade agreement with, is meant to help "stabilize" the sector, Carney added.
— With files from Palak Mangat
