ABOVE THE FOLD
Premier DOUG FORD is headed to the capital where he’ll be on hand for the (mostly virtual) first ministers’ meeting with Prime Minister MARK CARNEY. Ford gave a little preview of what to expect at a sprawling newser in Toronto yesterday (even ex-Finance minister ROD PHILLIPS was there). Here’s what you need to know.
The big announcement: Ford and Carney are set to sign a deal that would reduce the regulatory burden on major projects, namely the road to the Ring of Fire. The Canadian Press got the scoop: “Ottawa has agreed to eliminate any duplicative work on its impact assessments on large projects.”
SEZ who? The agreement begs the question — are special economic zones still necessary? The controversial policy contained in Bill 5 (which is currently facing a legal challenge) allows companies to override provincial and municipal rules, something First Nations in particular say could violate their self-determination rights.
Asked repeatedly at an unrelated press conference …
