A Globe and Mail editorial criticizes Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, for leveraging the economic crisis caused by U.S. tariffs to fast-track 'pet projects' under the guise of 'nation-building.' It highlights specific initiatives like Ontario's Highway 401 tunnel, BC's critical mineral mine approvals, and the federal 'One Canadian Economy bill,' arguing that this approach is a 'tired and failed' method of subsidizing favored industries rather than addressing underlying regulatory inefficiencies.
Globe editorial: The problem with politicians’ pet projects
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A Globe and Mail editorial criticizes Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, for leveraging the economic crisis caused by U.S. tariffs to fast-track 'pet projects' under the guise of 'nation-building.' It highlights specific initiatives like Ontario's Highway 401 tunnel, BC's critical mineral mine approvals, and the federal 'One Canadian Economy bill,' arguing that this approach is a 'tired and failed' method of subsidizing favored industries rather than addressing underlying regulatory inefficiencies.
Trending- 1 June 2: First Ministers meeting where premiers submitted preferred projects.
- 2 This spring: B.C. Premier David Eby passed contentious legislation to eliminate environment assessments for energy projects.
- 3 Friday (of article publication week): Prime Minister Mark Carney’s One Canadian Economy bill was introduced.
- Potential for politicians to play favorites in project selection
- Continued reliance on subsidizing favored industries rather than systemic regulatory reform
- Potential for environmental impact assessments to be bypassed
What: Canadian governments are prioritizing and fast-tracking 'pet projects' and 'nation-building' initiatives, often by seeking to bypass or streamline environmental assessments and regulatory processes, ostensibly to unlock economic potential amidst an economic crisis caused by U.S. tariffs.
When: 'This spring' (David Eby's legislation); 'Friday' (Mark Carney's bill introduced); 'June 2' (First Ministers meeting).
Where: Canada (Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ottawa).
Why: Governments are using the economic crisis (triggered by U.S. tariffs) as a pretext to push long-held ambitions and specific projects, claiming they are essential for 'nation-building' and economic potential. The editorial argues this is a flawed approach that avoids deeper regulatory reform.
How: Through new legislation (e.g., BC's elimination of environment assessments), proposed bills (Mark Carney's One Canadian Economy bill), and calls for federal funding and regulatory changes from premiers.