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Building Canada Act and the Major Projects Office The Building Canada Act is a new federal law (enacted June 2025) that allows certain major infrastructure projects to be designated as being in the “national interest” and fast-tracked through approvals. Instead of navigating multiple permits and reviews sequentially, a designated project gets a single, consolidated authorization with conditions - effectively a one-stop federal approval process. This streamlining is meant to cut red tape and build nation‑building projects “at speeds not seen in generations,” from ports and railways to pipelines, mines, and clean energy facilities. Going forward, Canadians will be watching how the first projects chosen under this Act unfold. In late 2025, the government began referring initial projects (from critical mineral mines to port expansions) to the Major Projects Office for consideration. Will this new fast-track system deliver infrastructure “faster, responsibly, and sustainably” as promised? Or will it face push back and unintended consequences? West Coast Env. Law – https://www.wcel.org/sites/default/files/publications/2025-10-14%20WCEL%20Bill%20C-5%20Legal%20Brief%20-%20Final.pdf#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20the%20exemption,In Reuters – https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/nine-canadian-first-nations-launch-constitutional-challenge-major-projects-2025-07-15/#:~:text=Environmentalists%20oppose%20both%20laws%2C%20saying,the%20government%27s%20duty%20to%20consult Stewart McKelvey – https://stewartmckelvey.com/uncategorized/building-canada-act-an-act-respecting-national-interest-projects/#:~:text=,growth%20and%20Canada%E2%80%99s%20climate%20objectives Osler Legal Outlook 2025 – https://www.osler.com/en/insights/reports/2025-legal-outlook/building-canada-advancing-national-priorities-and-projects/#:~:text=Such%20authorizations%20can%20include%20decisions,at%20Risk%20Act%2C%20among%20others Library of Parliament – Legislative Summary of Bill C-5 – https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/LegislativeSummaries/451C5E#:~:text=The%20Building%C2%A0Canada%C2%A0Act%20,11 Justice Laws Website – Building Canada Act (Statutes of Canada 2025, c.2) – https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/b-9.89/FullText.html#:~:text=,is%20to%20be%20carried%20out Privy Council Office – Major Projects Office (Canada.ca) – https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/major-projects-office.html Prime Minister of Canada – News Release (Sept 11, 2025) – https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/09/11/prime-minister-carney-announces-first-projects-be-reviewed-new#:~:text=,lower%20than%20the%20world%E2%80%99s Prime Minister of Canada – News Release (Nov 13, 2025) – https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/11/13/prime-minister-carney-announces-second-tranche-nation-building-projects#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20Prime%20Minister%20referred,area%20the%20size%20of%20Greece Debates (Hansard) – https://www.ourcommons.ca/documentviewer/en/45-1/house/sitting-16/hansard#:~:text=need%20to%20consult%20with%20affected,apply%20to%20such%20a%20project Norton Rose Fulbright – https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/23c3f5fd/loi-visant-a-batir-le-canada-lobligation-de-consulter-et-la-reconciliation-economique#:~:text=In%20an%20attempt%20to%20address,the%20coming%20year%20to%20strengthen Business Council of Alberta – https://businesscouncilab.com/advocacy-category/bill-c-5-is-a-good-start-but-not-a-complete-strategy/#:~:text=last%20decade%2C%20we%20ranked%C2%A037%20out,pulling%20farther%20and%20farther%20ahead Business Council of Canada – https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/LegislativeSummaries/451C5E#:~:text=barriers%20could%20add%20approximately%200,40 Budget 2025 – https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/11/13/prime-minister-carney-announces-second-tranche-nation-building-projects#:~:text=The%20world%20is%20changing%20rapidly,securing%20sovereign%20domestic%20supply%20chains

Immigration Law with Professor Kaamil Zaidi (Part 2 of 2) In the concluding half of this two-part conversation, interviewer Joshua Nahmias continues his discussion with Professor Kaamil Zaidi of the University of Calgary, delving deeper into immigration law, current challenges i, and the broader social and legal implications shaping immigration law in Canada. This episode also opens with a brief introduction from Michaela Butt, one of the new Hearsay project leads and the executive producer and editor of this episode, who provides context for Part Two and highlights from Part One.

Immigration Law with Professor Kaamil Zaidi (Part 1 of 2) In this two-part episode of the Hearsay Podcast, interviewer Joshua Nahmias sits down with Professor Kaamil Zaidi of the University of Calgary to discuss his new book and the complexities of immigration law. Their conversation explores key themes in Canada’s evolving immigration landscape and the policies within this dynamic area. This episode also marks the introduction of a new cohort of Hearsay hosts! Michaela Butt, one of the new Hearsay project leads and the executive producer and editor of this episode, welcomes listeners, introduces the incoming hosts, and sets the tone for another year of thoughtful, student-led discussions that bring accessible legal information to the public.

Constitutional Crossroads: What Mathur v Ontario Means for Climate Policy, Energy and Canadian Law In this episode of Hearsay, we sit down with Professor Martin Olszynski, Associate Professor and Chair in Energy, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Calgary, to unpack Mathur v Ontario — a groundbreaking climate case at the Ontario Court of Appeal. The episode explores the Charter arguments at the core of the decision, including the scope of sections 7 and 15, the distinction between positive and negative rights, and the court’s rejection of Ontario’s defence. With implications that reach far beyond provincial borders, this conversation dives into what Mathur means for constitutional climate litigation, energy policy-making, and the broader future of environmental accountability in Canadian politics.

Hearsay - Episode June 25 In this episode, we interview University of Calgary Professor, Jennifer Koshan, to discuss the trio of Bills passed by the Alberta Legislature in December of 2024 that place restrictions on gender diverse youth in the areas of health care, education and sports. This is Part 2 of the episode which focuses on the legal and practical outlook of this legislation on Alberta, specifically.

Hearsay - Podcast May 29 In this episode, we interview University of Calgary Professor, Jennifer Koshan, to discuss the trio of Bills passed by the Alberta Legislature in December of 2024 that place restrictions on gender diverse youth in the areas of health care, education and sports. Part 1 of this episode focuses on similar legislation and policy in other provinces across Canada, and what legal challenges are being brought against those laws and policies.

The Imperial President? The Trump Administration’s Disregard for the Rule of Law with Jody Freeman - Part 2 NOTE to Listeners: This episode was recorded on February 21, 2025, prior to recent developments, including the attacks on the legal profession and universities as well as many of the tariffs announced by the Trump Administration. While the discussion remains highly relevant, some events discussed may not reflect the latest updates by the time of its release on April 30, 2025. In today’s episode of Hearsay, we conclude our two-part discussion with Canadian-born Harvard Law Professor Jody Freeman about the first month of the Trump administration. In part two, we conclude our conversation on structural deregulation and the dismantling of specific agencies in the American Federal Government, before diving into the Trump Administration's approach to environmental regulation and policy. We also look at some of the impacts of these policies and strategies on Canada and Canadians in general. Professor Freeman's Biography: https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/jody-freeman/ https://www.jodyfreeman.com/ Profesor Freeman's Socials: Bluesky - @jodyfreeman.bsky.social Links to the discussed articles: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-nuclear-safety-staff-fired-rescinded-contact-2031874 https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/president-trump-s-campaign-of--structural-deregulation

NOTE to Listeners: This episode was recorded on February 21, 2025, prior to recent developments, including the attacks on the legal profession and the rounding up and deportation of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) individuals. While the discussion remains highly relevant, some events discussed may not reflect the latest updates by the time of its release on March 26, 2025. The Imperial President? The Trump Administration’s Disregard for the Rule of Law with Jody Freeman. In today’s episode of Hearsay, we begin a two-part discussion with Canadian-born Harvard Law Professor Jody Freeman about the first month of the Trump administration. In part one, we dive into the methods and strategies that this administration is utilizing to implement an array of policy reforms and changes to the structure of the American federal government, many of which appear to be in direct conflict with the rule of law. We also look at some of the impacts of these policies and strategies on Canada and Canadians in general. Professor Freeman's Biography: https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/jody-freeman/ https://www.jodyfreeman.com/ Profesor Freeman's Socials: Bluesky - @jodyfreeman.bsky.social Links to the discussed articles: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-nuclear-safety-staff-fired-rescinded-contact-2031874 https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/president-trump-s-campaign-of--structural-deregulation

The Rise and Fall of Public Markets with Dan Wilson, Part 1 In this episode we interview Dan Wilson and we talk about the rise and fall of the public markets in Canada. Specifically, why less companies are going public and the role of private equity in this trend. Dan draws on his experience working in securities law to give us an in depth insight into where he sees this issue going over the coming years.

Video Games and the LawVide This podcast discusses e-sports and the law surrounding video games. Specifically, the discussion examines the intersections between law and the video game indusrty. With the rise in concerns relating to privacy, trickery, cheating, and labour disputes, the video game industry now comes with its own host of issues and more and more legal issues relating to video games are on the rise. Emily Zheng and Olu Akinniyi discuss this topic two lawyers from Dentons, Josh Dial and Changhai Zhu.

AI Health Law Part 2 2nd part of a 2 part discussion with Professor Lorian Hardcastle about the intersection of artificial intelligence and health law.

AI Health Law Part 1 Part 1 of a 2 part discussion with Professor Lorian Hardcastle about the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare law.

Entrepreneurship & The Law: Part 2 In Part 2 of this 2 part episode on Entrepreneurship & The Law, we continue our discussion with tips on starting and running a business, and the intersection of business and the law as it relates to leadership with guest Dan Wilson. Dan is an Assistant Professor and Chair in Business Law and Regulation at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law.

Entrepreneurship & The Law: Part 1 In Part 1 of this 2 part episode on Entrepreneurship & The Law, we discuss incorporation, issues that start-ups often face and how to raise money with guest Dan Wilson. Dan is an Assistant Professor and Chair in Business Law and Regulation at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law.

Changing Technologies: Legal Implications of Facial Recognition Technology - Part 2 As facial recognition technology continues to evolve, we are seeing more real world applications of this software. For better or for worse it is becoming a staple in many parts of every day life. In today's episode we continue our discussion on facial recognition technology with Professor Gideon Christian. This time the focus is a deep dive into the implementation of this technology into retail stores and the legal implications this brings along with it.