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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Build Canada Strong? For sure, but it also needs to be Build Canada Smart and certainly not Build Canada Wrong.

David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The present geopolitical and economic context (rupture?) requires adapting, but governments across the country need to do better at laying out the social, environmental, and economic case for committing to such major projects, esp in cases where it is primarily a government-led project and public $.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

There is a tendency to engage in apples to oranges framing, selecting big attractive numbers on the benefit side of the ledger (e.g. jobs, GDP) without presenting similar on the other side.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Even if such work is accomplished, the open question will remain regarding whether the costs truly outweigh the benefits. Project assessments across Canada are notoriously poor at comprehensively assessing the full costs and risks of major infrastructure and natural resource extraction projects.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Reviewing and approving this type of project this fast (one year) would be virtually unprecedented. It is unclear that the federal government can do what it takes in terms of diligent analysis of impacts in such a short period, not to mention fulfill the duty to consult Indigenous communities.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Had the pleasure of joining CBC Edmonton to discuss yesterday's Pacific Link Pipeline announcement: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... The project is the first "project of national interest" to be officially placed in the Building Canada Act fast-lane. Canada is now deep in experimental territory.

cbc.ca

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And of course whole other question of where the new 300km threshold came from. Just as 75km under IAA was arbitrary so too is this… but also can be read as giving the commission more responsibility because the hand-off point to minister is only for the very biggest projects.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

…because that >300 km ROW pipeline then goes from Commission to minister who has their own decision making timeline. So it would seem implicit in the former that 180 of the 300 days is for information gathering and then the rest is for decision-making by the commission.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ha. Good deep reading! Not sure I can make it make sense but my take at this point is that this is a product of commitment to the “one year” no matter what. The 183(4) is 300 days because Commission making final decision under 183(1)(a). So that’s the finish line. Wheresas 186(4) is 180 days…

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

My own hope is that such questions and discourse are approached in a level-headed, evidence-based manner rather than being based on vibes, special interests, and distorted versions of reality. Stay tuned for content and commentary on @ABlawg unpacking this further, including how to be involved.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

In fairness, today's unprecedented political and economic times, which in Canada includes existential threats to sovereignty, raise important and legitimate questions around what type and degree of law reform ought to be pursued.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It also means fewer mechanisms and guardrails for public participation, transparency, and accountability. Time will tell how that discretion is exercised, but history suggests good reasons to be concerned and wary.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

That discretion covers everything from whether to conduct an assessment at all, to which projects get special expedited treatment, to time for Indigenous consultation, to the weakness of binding project approval conditions. That provides wide legal basis to get things very right or very wrong.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Reforms in Bill C-39 would mean substantially narrowed and shortened federal assessments through legal processes that provide the government virtually unparalleled amounts of discretion.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Many of us are still working our way through this very technical and far-reaching proposal to further the overhauling (and weakening) of federal review and approval of major projects. But for now it is fair to say that the changes proposed are tectonic and generational in scale and magnitude.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Great to join Peter on his fab @cjsw.bsky.social show to discuss Bill C-39. Title for this segment could be “Bill C-39: Building Canada Strong or Building Canada Wrong”. The bill proposes sweeping changes to key federal environmental laws. Risks aplenty. Have a listen. cjsw.com/program/the-...

cjsw.com

INTERVIEW: David Wright – CJSW Radio

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Hansard from third reading: www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentView... Committee proceedings (including background and perspectives on rationale): parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/P...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Bill C-10 passed 3rd reading yesterday - a big step toward establishing the new Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation. Indigenous parties to modern treaties have been working tremendously hard for twenty years in pursuit of creation of this office. Almost there. www.parl.ca/documentview...

parl.ca

Government Bill (House of Commons) C-10 (45-1) - Third Reading - Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act - Parliament of Canada

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is a significant early win for anyone interested in transparency and accountability toward achieving (or missing) international climate change commitments. While the youth may not be ultimately successful, this will still get important evidence on the record. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

cbc.ca

Carney government dealt an early blow in climate litigation | CBC News

A federal court refused to strike down a climate lawsuit brought against the Carney government by Canadian youth.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Seems timely to repost this item given the bill dropping in Ottawa today proposing further weakening key federal environmental laws. Stay tuned for more.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Some weekend listening for those trying to make sense of escalating controversy around proposed weakening of Canada’s cornerstone environmental laws. Grateful to Peter for having me on his fantastic @cjsw.bsky.social show, The Palgary Almanac. cjsw.com/program/the-...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Oh my gawdness. Hope you have warm tea and thick layers, Sara! Our kiddos sports were mercifully cancelled for the day.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

“Canada’s Grey New Deal” - my piece in The Star today. TLDR: wave of deregulation crash crashing across Canada can be thought of a Grey New Deal that prioritizes rapid development through deregulation and weakening of existing environmental laws. Days of considering a Green New Deal are long gone.

thestar.com

Gift-redeem

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Goodnight moon. Dig it. open.spotify.com/track/1bne4g...

open.spotify.com

Space Walk

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

It was a privilege and honour to appear this morning before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs regarding Bill C-10, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation (CMTI). www.ourcommons.ca/documentview... lop.parl.ca/sites/Public...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Huge win for environmental law today as Federal Court of Appeal reverses lower court by upholding federal listing of Plastic Manufactured Items as toxic. Expect fireworks from all sides politically, but this is a helpful step in clarifying this area of the law. decisions.fca-caf.ca/fca-caf/deci...

decisions.fca-caf.ca

Canada (Attorney General) v. Responsible Plastic Use Coalition - Federal Court of Appeal

The Federal Court of Appeal is a bilingual, bijural court that makes decisions on matters of federal law across Canada.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Beauty chinook arch this morning. No oil required. #yycbike

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

On the matter of climate policy rollbacks in a context of the AB-Ottawa MOU, UNDRIP, COP30 and so much else going on. Insightful coverage by Moira Donovan via @cba-nationalmag.bsky.social . And an @ablawg.bsky.social post in the works to expand on some of this.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Fwiw my read is that there will be a legal mechanism to ensure effective and headline price are the same (at least at a floor level) and the political/policy trade-off here is moving (regressing) from $170 horizon to $130 and timeline TBD. But show me the laws! This is just fluff for now.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Details & analysis on legal aspects here: - ablawg.ca/2025/09/25/f... - ablawg.ca/2025/11/14/m... - energyregulationquarterly.ca/articles/bui...

ablawg.ca

First Five Building Canada Act Projects of National Interest (PONIs): Hot to Trot, or All for Naught? – ABLawg

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

On the legal details side, Ottawa has all the authority it needs for a targeted Tanker Ban exemption under the new Building Canada Act. But to use it, there needs to be an actual project that is listed under the Act. So far, no proponent so no project. They’ve got a serious sequencing issue here.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Political hot potatoes giving way to cooler heads? Devilish details will matter. Aspects I’ll be watching: language around Indigenous & B.C. consent, target tanker ban exemption vs repeal, pathways plus price tag… and how this all fits in Canada’s carbon budget (or not!). www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

cbc.ca

Ottawa, Alberta agree to broad outlines of energy deal, including path to pipeline | CBC News

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have agreed to the broad outlines of a memorandum of understanding that would give Alberta special exemptions from federal environmental l...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Haha. Well, it’s a shameless ongoing thing you see. If the law disappoints, we still have humour, right?… Right?! bsky.app/profile/abla...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

PONIs or PHONIs? My latest ABlawg post on the subject of where things stand following yesterday's announcement of the second tranche of "major projects" / PONIs. And an imperfect glossary to try to make sense of the odd mix of terminology circulating.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

👍 “we’ll see” is my new motto. So much uncertainty. (And ps - we are decades overdue for a catch up!)

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Oil pipelines never cease to generate political friction and legal confusion. I spoke w @markhamhislop.bsky.social about the latest Alberta-BC spat and the relevant legal landscape. Might help clear the air to the extent possible, but open legal questions linger. m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt9Q...

m.youtube.com

BC and Alberta's Pipeline Political Fight Takes a Legal Turn

YouTube video by Energi Media

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Helpful modelling from @pembina.org here. Canada and Alberta should both be transparently doing same and then relating it to comprehensive emission reduction plans and scenarios that demonstrate achieving climate commitments (or not). Present “grand bargain” discourse needs to be contextualized.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Bill to create a new Commissioner of Modern Treaty Implementation re-tabled as Bill C-10. Good to see. www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en...

parl.ca

C-10 (45-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

First 5 PONIs now identified under the Building Canada Act. But is it a case of hot to trot, or all for naught? TLDR: legal framework is in place to corral PONIs and lead to greenlight pastures. But it behooves the govt to get implementation right at this early juncture. ablawg.ca/2025/09/25/f...

ablawg.ca

First Five Building Canada Act Projects of National Interest (PONIs): Hot to Trot, or All for Naught?

By: David V. Wright Matter Commented On: Building Canada Act, SC 2025, c 2, s 4 PDF Version: First Five Building Canada Act Projects of National Interest (PONIs): Hot to Trot, or All for Naught? Af…

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

@ABlawg is having some tech issues this week that we are working to resolve. Will take a few days. But be sure it will be back.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

Carbon pricing gone. And now ZEV pause. www.cbc.ca/news/politic... As federal GHG emission reduction measures slip, there’s still a legal requirement for the Carney government to present a comprehensive plan at some point. Will slip lead to fall? Under CNZEAA it shouldn’t ablawg.ca/2025/06/23/f...

ablawg.ca

Federal Climate Plans, Policies and Projections: Have no fear, CNZEAA is (still) here? - ABLawg

By: David V. Wright Matter Commented On: Implementation of the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, SC 2021, c 22 PDF Version: Federal Climate Plans, Policies and Projections: Have no fear,...

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

What’s going on with federal climate policy? C-5 has taken up a lot of oxygen so it’s fair to wonder. Also fair to fret. We do have a law to reduce risk of backslipping. Is it up to the task? Can we have no fear, or at least less fear, because CNZEAA is still here? My latest via @ablawg.bsky.social

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Ha. True. But it is really going to come down to what projects are on that list. High chance of mis-steps and friction, yes. But also might be possible to harness unicorns.

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David V. Wright @davevwright.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Key amendment to note: - Public registry - More Parliamentary oversight - National security review - Conflict of interest safeguards - Explicit consent of provinces - Stronger language re Indigenous consultation (but still not consent) Upshot: still ‘leap before you look’ but less reckless.

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