The Senate is set to get a head start on the study of a key piece of legislation that delivers on the Government’s core electoral commitments, even as the bill is still before the House of Commons.

Bill C-5 – known as the One Canadian Economy Act – would eliminate federal barriers to interprovincial trade, improve labour mobility within Canada and unlock nation-building projects.

The Senate authorized that a Committee of the Whole take place on three consecutive days, for up to four hours each, to study the subject matter of Bill C-5.

• On June 16 at 2 p.m., the Senate is set to receive Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Chrystia Freeland, as well as officials, for 65 minutes, followed by other witnesses.
• On June 17 at 2 p.m., the Senate is set to receive Dominic Leblanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, and Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, for 130 minutes, followed by other witnesses.
• On June 18 at 2 p.m., the Senate would receive witnesses for up to four hours.

The motion ensures a final vote take place on June 27, should the legislation still be before the Senate.

Under the Rules of the Senate, the Senate may examine the subject matter of a bill before it has been adopted by the House of Commons. This valuable tool allows a Senate committee to begin the general review of the principle and policy of a piece of legislation before it arrives in the Senate. The bill must still pass through three readings in the Senate before it can become law.