Government house leader Steve Clark is now stepping in to require the bill to go back to the house for third reading, with just one hour of debate, and a final vote that same day.

Ford said the premiers, and the whole country along with them, stand united as Canada comes under attack from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.

The scope of the project calls for the delivery of 12 new local detachment buildings and a regional headquarters building in Thunder Bay.

Joly said the government is waiting to see if Trump follows through on his threat to increase steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent through an executive order.

The prime minister and the premiers are keeping the full list of big projects under discussion a secret because they don't want to send negative signals about anything that doesn't make the short list.