A revised version of Bill 7 鈥� the controversial legislation designed to give government additional powers to fight American tariffs 鈥� is nearing passage.

The bill, which could come into effect as early as next week, gives government the power to knock down interprovincial trade barriers, re-direct government procurement and quickly impose a system of tolls, fees and charges on non-Canadian users of local highways and ferries among other measures.

Premier David Eby said the bill gives B.C. the necessary tools to respond to American tariffs. "I think there is a broad support from British Columbians for us to take these actions," he said. "(If) you don't have the tools to respond to a bully, if you don't stand up to the bully, then the bully only comes back for more. The people is not the people of Alaska, it is not the people of the United States. It's the President of the United States." 

The bill is moving toward passage after government removed Part IV, whose critics say would have give cabinet the power to rewrite almost every law and regulation in the name of responding to current or 鈥渁nticipated challenges鈥� coming from a foreign jurisdiction. Other changes see the government shorten the sunset clause of the law to one year from two years and report out on orders-in-council more quickly. 

But these changes did not satisfy the provincial Conservatives, who continued to question various elements of the bill, including the interprovincial trade elements. Conservative Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops-Centre, said the legislation does not go far enough on interprovincial trade barriers.

"We are going to wind up with a half-baked piece of Frankenstein-type legislation that has been hacked and whacked up with a piece on interprovincial trade that is not sufficient, that is still too protectionist for B.C.," Milobar said. "It鈥檒l be used as an excuse by different provinces for why they鈥檙e not going to get on board. That鈥檚 not leadership. That鈥檚 not supercharging the B.C. economy. "

Eby disagreed with Milobar's assessment in calling the interprovincial elements the most aggressive of their kind, while acknowledging exemptions.

"We can unilaterally recognize another province's standards," he said. "It's good enough for British Columbia, even if they do not recognize our authorities. So we think it is a pretty good provision. He doesn't like, but they (Conservatives) voted against this bill consistently and they will have to explain that to their constituents." 

Concerns about the general thrust of the legislation also remained with Milobar noting that the legislation even goes beyond the legislation available to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the Second World War. 

"The Premier says it's to respond to President Trump," Milobar said. "Bill 7 gives the Premier more executive authorities than President Trump has. How does that make any sense?"

Conservative Langley-Abbotsford MLA Harman Bhangu said Bill 7 represents a dangerous precedent, even without the removed part.

"It reflects a government that sees public input as an obstacle rather than an essential part of legislative process," Bhangu said. "We in opposition will not stand by while this government continues down this path. We will continue to fight for accountability, for proper debate, for policies that truly serve the interests of British Columbians. The people of this province deserve a government that operates in the open, not behind closed doors."

These comments drew a rebuke from Ladysmith-Oceanside NDP MLA Stephanie Higginson, who questioned opposition to the bill, noting it allows B.C. to diversify and strengthen its economy. "I am confused about why folks would not want to grow and diversify our economy," she said. "All I can think of is that perhaps this is the close relationship that some of the members opposite may have with the MAGA folks down south, who are looking at building a wall around their own economy and wanting to shrink their own economy and just actually hang out with each other." 

The most recent debate around Bill 7, which stretched across two days, saw both major parties commit errors. When debate on Bill 7 resumed Wednesday with Eby moving second reading, the bill before legislators was the original version. Government then scrambled to get the amendments on the floor. Debate then continued through the evening before ending just before 9 p.m. 

But Conservative promises to drag out debate on the amendments when unfulfilled when their failure to field a speaker prompted a vote on second reading with the bill passing 48 to 43. 

Eby welcomed that outcome. "The bill passed second reading today ... and it will go to committee stage and the Conservatives will be able to ask all of the questions they want."