“Winston Churchill did not do this in Britain during World War II. That is how extreme Bill 7 is.”
–Peter Milobar
The B.C. government is promising to shorten the duration of its controversial new anti-tariff legislation from two years to one, mandate immediate disclosure of all its cabinet orders and eliminate sweeping provisions that would have given Premier David Eby wartime powers to bypass the legislature, under new amendments tabled in the legislature yesterday.
The seven amendments constitute significant changes to Bill 7, which only a few weeks ago the premier declared he was so confident would capture the support of British Columbians he was willing to take the issue to an election.
But intense pushback from business, labour and First Nations leaders, combined with pointed criticism from two former premiers and a widely-respected former attorney general, forced the premier’s retreat.
That culminated Wednesday with Attorney General Niki Sharma unveiling the amendments at the legislature.
“We are listening to the feedback that we have heard from the trade and economic security task force, from the business community, from labour leaders and Indigenous leaders and from the B.C. Green Party,” said Sharma.
“This is a sign that democracy is healthy and well in British Columbia.”
Niki Sharma
“This is a sign that democracy is healthy and well in British Columbia. The Premier and myself and our government, we know we need to have the solidarity to move forward during these difficult times, and we need to stand up for our democratic institutions. We listened to people’s concerns about how we respond in a way that respects and upholds what we all believe in.”
Former premiers and AG raise alarm
Eby introduced the bill March 13, but faced immediate criticisms that a clause proposing to give his cabinet the ability to change any law and enact any provision for two years, without approval of the legislature, was undemocratic.
Eby said he needed the unprecedented authority to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s volatile tariff threats.
Former BC Liberal premier Gordon Campbell called it the “move of an aspiring autocrat,” while former NDP premier Ujjal Donsajh described it as a “fundamental brutal assault on our constitution” that left him “speechless.” Former B.C. attorney general Geoff Plant criticized the immense concentration of power the bill would allow within the secrecy of the premier’s cabinet as inappropriate.
Eby promised to abandon that provision last week.
“I didn’t get the balance right,” he said.
The amendments in the legislature, however, attempt to salvage the rest of Bill 7.
Specifically, they mandate government to post “as soon as practicable” on “a publicly available website” any orders it would make to regulatory agencies to respond to tariffs, or any orders it would make to cancel government contracts with U.S. firms.
Sharma said she estimates cancelling American government contracts would redirect approximately $600 million in work back to Canadian firms.
‘No other province is doing this’
The amendments leave largely untouched the ability for government to apply tolls, fees or charges “for the use of a provincial undertaking,” including but not only on American shipping trucks that use B.C. roads to get to Alaska, and lower interprovincial trade barriers.
However, in all cases, it reduces the government’s timeline to take these steps by bumping up the expiry date from 2027 to 2026.
The moves failed to reduce criticism from the Opposition BC Conservatives, whose MLAs have taken to calling Eby a wannabe “dictator” and “king” in the wake of the bill.
“No other province in the country is doing this — none,” finance critic Peter Milobar said during debate. “Winston Churchill did not do this in Britain during World War II. That is how extreme Bill 7 is.
“The Premier says it’s to respond to President Trump. Bill 7 gives the Premier more executive authorities than President Trump has. How does that make any sense?”
Premier won’t narrow bill to interprovincial trade-only
Eby did not address the criticism directly during his speech in support of the legislature Wednesday. He pointed to Trump’s global tariff announcement, and the uncertainty it caused in the world economy, as rationale for the powers.
“Here in B.C., we’re not waiting for the latest post on Truth Social, we’re taking action,” the premier told the house.
“This bill is part of that action. We’re taking action to strengthen our economy, to diversify our trading partners and to respond resolutely and firmly to the president’s threats.”
“We’re not waiting for the latest post on Truth Social, we’re taking action.”
David Eby
The province’s major business organizations had called on Eby to split off the interprovincial trade measures, so they could be supported separately without the controversy caused by the legislation’s other measures. But Eby rejected that suggestion earlier in the week.
“If there are areas where we can alleviate some of the concerns the business community may have we’re happy to do that, but the principle needs to remain,” he said March 31.
Legislation is ‘overreach,’ says Opposition leader
Eby continued to say he hopes he would not have to use the powers in the legislation.
“I want to assure them and all British Columbians, we would only use this tool if absolutely necessary,” he said. “It is not something we want to do.”
Not good enough, said the Opposition.
“There doesn’t seem to be a reason or rational excuse for actually asking for this kind of authority, not to mention asking for the ability to access everybody’s private information and use it for whatever purposes government wants,” Conservative leader John Rustad said Wednesday.
“This is a bill that is an overreach. It doesn’t need to be there.”
Rustad questioned whether Eby might use the cabinet authority to bring in measures like road pricing, or tolls, on British Columbians as well.
“If you want to do these things, have the courage to bring it to the legislature,” he said. “Follow democracy, support our democratic process, have it debated and passed. Don’t ask for blank cheques.”