Legislative summaries

  1. Legislative Summary of Bill S-15: An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    pv_44-1-s15-e.pdf (604.42 KB)
    Bill S-15, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, creates various Criminal Code offences in relation to elephants and great apes, including: possessing, breeding or impregnating elephants or great apes in captivity; possessing an elephant or great ape that is kept in captivity and failing to take reasonable measures to prevent natural breeding; and participating in any activities that involve elephants or great apes kept in captivity being used for entertainment purposes. There are a number of exceptions to these offences, including one that covers a designated animal already in someone’s possession when the law comes into force. Bill S-15 also amends the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA) limiting the reasons for which the Minister of the Environment can issue a permit to import or export an elephant or great ape to scientific research for conservation purposes, a conservation program or animal welfare purposes.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Cruelty to animals
    International trade
    Interprovincial trade
    Legislation
    Nature conservation
    Wild animals
    Wild mammals

  2. Legislative Summary of Bill S-8: An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-s8-e.pdf (714.83 KB)
    This bill amends the Immigration, Refugee and Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) to broaden the scope of inadmissibility, which refers to the denial of permission to enter or stay in Canada based on sanctions. It also makes consequential amendments to the Citizenship Act and the Emergencies Act to ensure coherence throughout the various pieces of legislation. Bill S-8 arises within the context of the Government of Canada’s response to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, for which the federal government has imposed economic sanctions against entities and individuals waging, and enabling, Russia’s aggression.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Inadmissibility
    International armed conflicts
    International sanctions
    Russia
    Statutes
    Ukraine

  3. Legislative Summary of Bill C-56: An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-c56-e.pdf (669.7 KB)
    This bill, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Competition Act (Affordable Housing and Groceries Act) has two parts. Part 1 amends the Excise Tax Act (ETA) to temporarily enhance the Goods and Services Tax (GST) new residential rental property rebate in respect of new purpose-built rental housing. Part 2 amends the Competition Act to promote competition, particularly in the grocery sector.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Excise taxes
    Goods and services tax
    Housing
    Legislation
    Market competition
    Price controls
    Statutes
    Supply
    Tax credits

  4. Legislative Summary of Bill C-281: An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    pv_44-1-c281-e.pdf (502.16 KB)
    The bill creates a new requirement for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table an annual human rights report, which includes a list of “prisoners of conscience” and actions the Government of Canada has taken to support them; a new requirement for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table a response to a parliamentary committee recommendation for an order or regulation (sanction) pursuant to the Sergei Magnitsky Law; places new restrictions on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s ability to issue or renew a licence to carry on a broadcasting undertaking; and adds new restrictions on financial assistance and investments in relation to cluster munitions, explosive submunitions and explosive bomblets.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Broadcasting
    Cluster bombs
    Digital broadcasting
    Digital media
    Foreign nationals
    Funding
    Human rights
    International sanctions
    Investments
    Licences

  5. Legislative Summary of Bill C-59: An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-c59-e.pdf (985.61 KB)
    This bill implements certain measures announced in the federal government’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement and 2023 Budget, which were released on 21 November 2023 and 28 March 2023, respectively. The bill has five parts: Part 1 implements certain tax measures, such as the doubling of the rural supplement rate for Climate Action Incentive payments; Part 2 enacts the Digital Services Tax Act and its regulations; Part 3 implements certain measures respecting the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST); Part 4 implements certain measures relating to vaping and the remitting of cannabis excise duties; Part 5 (which is divided into 12 sections) implements various measures and amends numerous Acts dealing with multiple areas of law.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Excise taxes
    Federal budget
    Income taxes
    Statutes
    Tax credits

  6. Legislative Summary of Bill C-59: An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    This bill implements certain measures announced in the federal government’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement and 2023 Budget, which were released on 21 November 2023 and 28 March 2023, respectively. The bill has five parts: Part 1 implements certain tax measures, such as the doubling of the rural supplement rate for Climate Action Incentive payments; Part 2 enacts the Digital Services Tax Act and its regulations; Part 3 implements certain measures respecting the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST); Part 4 implements certain measures relating to vaping and the remitting of cannabis excise duties; Part 5 (which is divided into 12 sections) implements various measures and amends numerous Acts dealing with multiple areas of law.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Excise taxes
    Federal budget
    Income taxes
    Statutes
    Tax credits

  7. Legislative Summary of Bill S-202: An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate)

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-s202-e.pdf (647.14 KB)
    This bill amends the Parliament of Canada Act to create the position of Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate and to correct a reference to the Canada Council for the Arts in the English version.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Artists
    Visual arts

  8. Legislative Summary of Bill S-14: An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    pv_44-1-s14-e.pdf (630.92 KB)
    This bill makes a number of changes to federally protected lands and waters under Parks Canada management. It: finalizes the establishment of a new national park reserve (park reserve): Akami-Uapishk?–KakKasuak–Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve of Canada in Labrador; finalizes the establishment of a new national marine conservation area: Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in Nunavut; expands the existing boundaries of seven national parks (parks) and one park reserve; broadens and clarifies language in the Canada National Parks Act (CNPA) and the Rouge National Urban Park Act concerning offences related to discharges or deposits of substances in parks and park reserves; and changes the name of “Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve of Canada” to “Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site” in the CNPA and in the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Aboriginal and treaty rights
    Comprehensive land claims
    Marine conservation areas
    National parks

  9. Legislative Summary of Bill S-243: An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act and to make related amendments to other Acts

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-s243-e.pdf (727.96 KB)
    This bill consists of five parts: Part 1 enacts An Act to require certain financial and other federally regulated entities to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, with the short title Climate-Aligned Finance Act (CAFA). Part 2 introduces related amendments to the Bank of Canada Act, the Export Development Act, the Financial Administration Act, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Act, the Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, the Business Development Bank of Canada Act, the Canada Infrastructure Bank Act 8 and the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (CNZEAA). Part 3 proposes new review and reporting requirements in relation to CAFA for the Minister of Finance and other federal regulators. Part 4 provides amendments in relation to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Part 5 sets out coming-into-force provisions. The purpose of the bill is to align the activities of the financial sector with climate commitments through various measures. These measures include reporting requirements, the enforcement of targets with respect to climate commitments, additional capital adequacy requirements for banks, the appointment of persons with climate expertise to the boards of reporting entities and establishment of climate alignment as a superseding duty for directors, officers or administrators of reporting entities.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Climate change
    Financial institutions
    Greenhouse gas emissions
    Greening

  10. Legislative Summary of Bill C-52: An Act to enact the Air Transportation Accountability Act and to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act

    Legislative Summary
    44-1
    44-1-c52-e.pdf (688.92 KB)
    This bill contains 22 clauses, divided into three parts. Part 1 of the bill enacts An Act respecting accountability in the air transportation sector (short title: Air Transportation Accountability Act). This Act seeks to establish various responsibilities across the aviation ecosystem, notably in relation to noise management and climate change. It also authorizes the creation of a regulatory framework for service standards in the aviation sector. Part 2 makes amendments to the Canada Transportation Act (CTA) that relate to accessibility in the aviation sector, notably to authorize the establishment of a complaints process through regulation. Part 3 amends the Canada Marine Act (CMA) to establish a new framework for the fixing of port fees by port authorities which includes a dispute resolution process.

    This legislative summary is available as an unedited preliminary version in PDF format only. If the bill receives Royal Assent, this version will be replaced by a final version available in both HTML and PDF formats.

    Air transport
    Persons with disabilities
    Universal accessibility
    User fees