Bill C-5 Passed. Advocacy Just Became More Urgent.
Why Bill C-5 Should Concern Every Non-Profit, Every Advocate, and Every Canadian Who Believes in Rights Over Rush
This isn’t about being left or right.
It’s about accountability. It’s about process. It’s about rights.
Bill C-5 is now law. And whether you’re in the nonprofit sector, the advocacy world, or simply someone who cares about what kind of Canada we leave behind—this affects you.
The word advocate isn’t just branding for us. It’s a promise.
It’s what we do when policies are rushed.
It’s what we do when power is concentrated.
It’s what we do when voices are sidelined for the sake of speed.
And right now, we’re raising our voice.
What Is Bill C-5?
Read the full text: Parliament of Canada – Bill C-5
Officially called the One Canadian Economy Act, Bill C-5 claims to streamline interprovincial trade and fast-track infrastructure projects labeled as “national interest.”
But behind the language of “efficiency” is something far more serious: a centralization of federal power that can override environmental protections, diminish Indigenous rights, and shortcut community consultation.
This isn’t just bad governance.
It’s a betrayal of promises.
Let’s Be Clear: This Is Not Anti-Development
Infrastructure matters. Economic mobility matters. We are not opposed to progress.
But progress without process is not progress. It’s power over people. It’s the erasure of environmental checks, treaty obligations, and equity frameworks—all in the name of speed.
You don’t streamline equity.
You don’t accelerate justice.
And you don’t deem approvals into existence while ignoring the voices of those who live on the land.
What Does This Mean for the Communities We Serve?
It means:
The safeguards that protect land, water, and people can be bypassed if a project is deemed to serve the “national interest”
Indigenous Nations, who are supposed to be equal partners in reconciliation, may be “consulted” but never truly heard—and have no real power to stop harm
Non-profits and community organizations will be pushed aside, told that their concerns slow things down
This isn’t consultation.
This is rubber-stamp governance wrapped in patriotic language.
Power Is Why Advocacy Exists
Let’s be honest: this bill is about power.
Advocacy exists because power, unchecked, becomes dangerous.
Because if we don’t speak up, someone else will speak over us.
Because silence is mistaken for consent—and we do not consent to the quiet erosion of rights, treaties, or protections in the name of “national unity.”
We’ve seen what happens when governments concentrate authority and silence dissent.
We won’t play along.
To Every Non-Profit, Activist, and Ally: Your Voice Matters
You don’t have to be political to care about policy.
You don’t have to be Indigenous to honor Indigenous sovereignty.
You just have to care about justice, equity, and truth.
And if you're part of the nonprofit sector, you're not just allowed to speak up—you're expected to.
This Isn’t About Sides. It’s About Standards.
We’re not here to argue politics. We’re here to uphold principles:
Consultation before construction
Rights before resource extraction
Relationships over rush
Equity before expediency
When governments break their own laws—whether environmental or treaty-based—it’s not a misunderstanding.
It’s a warning sign.
Advocates raise flags. It’s what we do.
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If You’re Ready to Raise Your Voice
This isn’t over. Here’s how you can show up and speak up:
1. Read and share what others are saying.
2. Find your MP. Contact them. Hold them accountable.
Check how they voted: MP Tracker – Find Your Representative
Example: Jagsharan Singh Mahal, MP for Edmonton Southeast, voted YES at every stage of Bill C-5.
3. Talk about it. Especially if you're in a position of influence.
Boards. Teams. Networks. Donors. Funders. This is a moment where your silence will say more than you think.
4. Say it in your own words.
You don’t need a perfect statement. Just say what’s true. What you value. What you’re not okay with.
5. Keep watching. Keep advocating.
Bill C-5 sets a precedent. If this is what can pass quietly, imagine what might come next.
We stand with Indigenous leaders, environmental defenders, and every community watching their rights diluted by the quiet ink of a rushed bill.
We are Advocate Fundraising.
And the first word in our name is Advocate.
