When we talk about the “national interest,” we tend to picture steel, not soil. Transmission towers, deep ports and export corridors are emblematic of a nation on the move. It’s understandable. Big projects have always held weight in this country: the railway, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Trans-Canada Highway.

Now, with the passage of Bill C-5 – the One Canadian Economy Act – Canada is poised, once again, to build big. The legislation grants cabinet new powers to fast-track projects deemed in the national interest. Prime Minister Mark Carney presents this as a way to “connect and transform our country and unleash economic growth while upholding environmental protections and Indigenous rights.”

These ambitions are urgent and important. But the challenge lies in how we define “national interest.” Projects that disregard the ecological foundations on which we depend could undermine the prosperity and resilience they seek to create. To see the full potential of the projects slated for fast-tracked development, nature must not be considered an obstacle, but the backbone of our nation-building efforts. 

Take the Grays Bay Road and Port project in Nunavut, planned to unlock Arctic shipping and mineral access. It crosses permafrost and caribou habitat already........

© National Observer