The Liberal government’s budget bill could grant sweeping powers to ministers that would enable them to exempt any individual or company from federal laws, except the Criminal Code.
Such powers are currently granted to the ministers of transport and health, but the bill seeks to expand it to all ministers, a move the opposition says could lead to abuses.
The budget bill, C-15, says a minister could use these powers “only if the minister is of the opinion” that the exemption is in the public interest, would enable the testing of a product, service, procedure, or regulatory measure, and its benefits would outweigh the risks….