OTTAWA—One year to approve a ‘project of national interest’ such as a pipeline, this is what Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, says. There are all sorts of orange reasons why Canada needs to move fast to bolster our economy. It’s difficult to argue against efficiencies in bureaucracy. Decision-making in the corporate sector with billions of dollars on the table tends to be much more efficient than governments, but there is a reason why. Corporate decision-making has one board to keep happy. Governments are obligated to protect the human rights of many boards—levels of government, regions, and rights-bearing citizens. Not ‘happy’ human rights. Now, governments don’t need to take a decade to make a decision and here the prime minister does have a point.  

If all the Indigenous communities directly affected by a pipeline were consulted, and if they have a model of ownership including shared decision-making of said pipeline, it would be wonderful to sign off in a year. For context, consultation must meet the standard set in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of........

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