Dear John,

Canada is already losing the battle for investment. And now, with Bill C-5, the Carney government is likely going to make a bad situation even worse.

This legislation gives the federal cabinet extraordinary powers to override laws, bypass regulations, and approve projects based on vague and subjective priorities.

At first glance, it may sound like a way to fast-track major infrastructure and energy development.

But make no mistake: Bill C-5 doesn’t reform Canada’s burdensome regulatory system which is preventing needed investment. It simply lets politicians decide who gets around it.

Rather than reduce red tape, this bill gives more power to a small group of cabinet ministers — and opens the door to favouritism, lobbying, and even corruption.

It is basically just a “trust us” clause that asks Canadians to hand over even more control to politicians in Ottawa!

And all this comes at a time when investment in Canada is already fleeing: between 2015 and 2023, we saw $387 billion in capital leave the country.

Investment per worker has dropped nearly 20% over the last decade.

Canada’s economy doesn’t need more backroom deals. It needs transparent rules, clear processes, and a level playing field for all businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Carney government says this bill will boost confidence. In reality, it risks doing the opposite.

We simply can’t build a stronger Canada by putting more power in fewer hands.

That’s why the Fraser Institute has been so vocal about these reforms. We need to inform Canadians about these policies so that they can demand better from their elected officials.

John, I’m happy to report that our recent work on the need for regulatory reform has gotten picked up in newspapers and magazines from coast-to-coast. It has also been read by hundreds of thousands more Canadians on social media!

If you agree that our work in this area is important, please consider supporting our research with a donation. We of course don’t accept government funding – we rely entirely on supporters like you who want to fight for a better and stronger Canada.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,

Niels Veldhuis
President
The Fraser Institute