A day after a trio of Team Carney front benchers — Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, Canada – U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu — unveiled sweeping new legislation that, as iPolitics reported yesterday, would further streamline and accelerate the project approval process, as well as establish new parameters on when the government can intervene in strikes or lockouts in federally regulated sectors, Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske is set to hit the precinct media circuit to highlight what the proposed changes could mean “for workers’ rights, collective bargaining and the right to strike.” (11:30 a.m.)

In a statement released yesterday, Bruske noted that the proposed overhaul of the federal labour law includes some measures “that unions have fought for and that will improve protections for workers, including progress on successor rights in contract flipping, protecting workers from wage theft, funding for Canada Industrial Relations Board and health and safety inspectors,” but, in its current form, “undermines the right to strike.”

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak will likely also have something to say about the government’s latest push to fast-track major projects by expanding the use of the ‘national interest’ designation to cover entire regions when she hits the West Block press theatre to outline the AFN’s “priorities” for the upcoming sitting. (10:30 a.m.)

Back in the chamber, MPs are set to begin a lightning-round review of Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s similarly high-stakes, but significantly less controversial proposal to extend the temporary pause in collecting the federal fuel excise tax until next year, which is now on track to clear the opening round of debate by the end of the sitting day.

As per the motion adopted shortly after the bill made its debut appearance yesterday afternoon, MPs are set to wrap up the initial debate by midnight, after which it will be automatically deemed to have been adopted at second reading and sent to the House FINANCE committee for further review, with Champagne himself scheduled for a one-hour appearance no later than Oct. 6.

According to his office, Champagne will hit the House of Commons Foyer this morning to “deliver quick remarks” on the bill, as well as the “broader steps the government is taking to make life more affordable.” (11:30 a.m.)

On the committee circuit:

• GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND ESTIMATES members are set to kick off a new study into the potential use of “underused and surplus federal lands and buildings (to) provide services for veterans,” as outlined in a backbench motion put forward by Liberal MP Alana Hirtle earlier this year, with senior departmental officials expected to appear alongside representatives of the Home for Heroes Foundation and Veterans Emergency Transition Services. (11 a.m.)
• Later this afternoon, ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT members are set to resume clause-by-clause review of Liberal MP Patrick Weiler’s backbench pitch to boost coastal marine protections by increasing the liability related to wrecked, abandoned or otherwise hazardous vessels. (3:30 p.m.)

Meanwhile, after being caught up in a continent-wide air traffic jam that, as Canadian Press notes, “halted operations at every major airport in the New York City area (after) a key circuit failed at an air traffic facility in Philadelphia,” ultimately causing him to miss his first scheduled appearance on the high-level diplomatic circuit at the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to attend the opening round of debate this morning. (9 a.m.)

As per his itinerary, he’s booked in for one-on-one meetings with his Chilean and Angolan counterparts, as well as United Arab Emirates Industry Minister Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, before taking questions from reporters this afternoon. (3:55 p.m.)

Later tonight, he’ll “attend and deliver remarks at a leader-level event on the two-state solution,” according to his office. (4:45 p.m.)

ON AND AROUND THE HILL

Representatives of the Western Business Council — which, according to the notice, will include the heads of the provincial business councils in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, as well as the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce — hit the West Block press theatre to outline how Canada “can build on recent federal progress and turn its economic ambition into greater investment, major projects and jobs,” and urge the government to take “further action to accelerate major-project approvals, reduce the regulatory burden, protect trade-enabling supply chains and better connect immigration with regional workforce needs.” (9 a.m.)

International Centre for Human Rights president Ardeshir Zarezadeh joins “lawyers, human rights activists and former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conscripts,” as well as a representative from the Conservative caucus, to “call for accountability for IRGC officials and protection for individuals compelled to serve through Iran’s mandatory military service system.” (1 p.m.)

On the perimeter of the precinct, members of Seniors’ Climate Witness, including environmental advocate David Suzuki, Greenpeace co-founder Bill Darnell and former Alberta Liberal Party leader David Swann, will “risk arrest on Parliament Hill” as they “attempt to deliver hundreds of photographs and stories collected across the country (that) convey the direct impact of this summer’s wildfires and flooding …  to MPs’ desks in the House of Commons” — and, according to the notice, “are prepared to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and risk arrest” if “unable to reach” those MPs. (10 a.m.)

OUTSIDE THE PRECINCT

Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson joins Build Canada Homes CEO Ana Bailão, Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund chair Ray Sullivan, Ottawa Community Land Trust executive director Mike Bulthius and Ottawa-area Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi for a mid-morning housing announcement at an undisclosed location somewhere in the capital. (10:30 a.m.)

Later today, Defence Minister David McGuinty will deliver a “keynote address” on his government’s “defence priorities,” as well as “the work underway to strengthen Canada’s military capabilities, support members of the Canadian Armed Forces and respond to a rapidly changing global security environment,” at a lunch event hosted by the Canadian Club of Ottawa. (12 p.m.)

FRESH FROM iPOLITICS

FEATURED OPINION

Nicholas Aboagye: If we’re serious about building Canada Strong, we need to fix OAS

HOT OFF THE WIRES

Committee highlights courtesy of our friends at iPoliticsINTEL.