Research publications

The Library of Parliament’s research publications provide non-partisan, reliable and timely information and analysis on current and emerging issues, legislation and major public policy topics.

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HillNotes

Quick reads on topics of interest to parliamentarians

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HillStudies

In-depth reads on topics of interest to parliamentarians (formerly Background papers and In briefs)

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Legislative summaries

Concise analyses of certain bills before Parliament

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Trade and investment profiles

Fact sheets on Canada’s trade and investment relationship with selected countries and regions

Archived research publications are available in our catalogue.

  1. Legislative Summary of Bill C-13: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (single event sport betting)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    c13-e.pdf (1.82 MB)
    This bill amends the definition of “lottery scheme” in section 207(4)(b) of the Criminal Code (Code). The effect of this amendment is described as decriminalizing single event sport betting in Canada while maintaining the federal government’s role in overseeing pari-mutuel betting on horse racing.

    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.

    Decriminalization
    Financial crime
    Lotteries
    Sports
    Statutes

  2. Legislative Summary of Bill C-14: An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    c14-e.pdf (1.83 MB)
    This bill consists of seven parts and one schedule: Part 1 amends the Income Tax Act and the Children's Special Allowances Act to provide additional support for families and children in response to the coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic. It also clarifies eligible expenses with respect to the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy in the Income Tax Act. Part 2 amends the Canada Student Loans Act to temporarily suspend interest and interest payments with respect to guaranteed student loans. Part 3 amends the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act to temporarily suspend interest and interest payments with respect to student loans. Part 4 amends the Apprentice Loans Act to temporarily suspend interest and interest payments with respect to apprentice loans. Part 5 amends the Food and Drugs Act to authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations requiring persons to provide the Minister of Health with information that the minister deems necessary and to make regulations to prevent or alleviate shortages of therapeutic products. It also amends the Act to provide that any prescribed provisions of regulations made under that Act apply to food, drugs, cosmetics and devices intended for export that would otherwise be exempt from the application of that Act, Part 6 authorizes payments to be made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes of the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, initiatives related to health and COVID 19, and income support payments under the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act. Part 7 amends the limit on Government of Canada borrowing set out in the Borrowing Authority Act.

    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.

    Family
    Income security
    National debt
    Public expenditures
    Statutes
    Student loans

  3. Legislative Summary of Bill C-15: An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

    (Revised)
    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c15-e.pdf (4.07 MB)
    This bill affirms that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted as a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on 13 September 2007, has application in Canadian law and provides a framework for the federal government to ensure that its laws are consistent with it.

    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.

    First Nations
    Indigenous cultural rights
    International conventions
    Inuit
    Métis
    Right to consent
    Statutes

  4. Legislative Summary of Bill C-19: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (COVID-19 response)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c19-e.pdf (1.88 MB)
    This bill contains a series of measures that temporarily supersede sections of the Canada Elections Act (CEA) to assist Elections Canada in administering a potential federal general election during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, it widens the existing power of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to adapt provisions of the CEA to include ensuring the health and safety of electors or election officers during an election period or within 30 days after it; expands the voting period from a single day (usually a Monday) to a polling period of three consecutive days consisting of a Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and sets the hours for voting each day; maintains four consecutive days of advance voting but moves the starting period for advance voting forward by one day; adjusts opening and closing procedures at polling stations related to ballot boxes to account for multiple consecutive days of voting; authorizes returning officers to establish polling divisions that consist of a single institution, or part of an institution, where seniors or persons with disabilities reside, and sets the days and hours for voting at these polling divisions; authorizes the CEO to modify deadlines or periods of time prescribed in the CEA by moving the days, or start dates or end dates, forward or backward, by up to two days; and· adapts certain provisions of the CEA related to special ballots (e.g., voting by mail) with respect to applications for registration for a special ballot, exceptions to voting by special ballots only, modes of transmission of special ballots and secure reception boxes and ballot boxes.

    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.

  5. Legislative Summary of Bill C-20: An Act to amend the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador Additional Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments Act

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    c20-e.pdf (1.81 MB)
    This bill requires the Minister of Finance to make additional fiscal equalization offset payments to Nova Scotia from 2020–2021 to 2022–2023. These payments will offset the equalization payment reductions over that period that result from an arbitration settlement the province received in 2018, concerning past royalties from an offshore natural gas project.

    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.

    Nova Scotia
    Transfer payments

  6. Legislative Summary of Bill C-208: An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (transfer of small business or family farm or fishing corporation)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    pv_43-2-c208-e.pdf (943.85 KB)
    This bills seeks to exempt qualified small business corporations and qualified family farm or fishing corporations from the application of certain anti-avoidance rules, making certain intercorporate dividend transfers tax free, provide for the tax-free splitting of these corporations, as well as allow for corporate intergenerational sales of such businesses to be treated as capital gains that are eligible for the lifetime capital gains deduction.

    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.

    Capital gains
    Capital gains taxes
    Financial transactions
    Tax avoidance

  7. Legislative Summary of Bill C-21: An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c21-e.pdf (4.04 MB)
    This bill amends the Criminal Code, the Firearms Act, the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). It also makes consequential amendments to An Act to Amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms and the Immigration and Refugee Protection 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.

    Criminal law
    Firearm offences
    Firearms
    Gun control
    Statutes

  8. Legislative Summary of Bill C-22: An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c22-e.pdf (4.1 MB)
    This bill removes mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment prescribed for certain Criminal Code offences relating to firearms and other weapons and the unauthorized sale of tobacco and tobacco products; removes all mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment prescribed for offences within the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA); removes limitations placed on the use of conditional sentences of imprisonment; and amends the CDSA to require peace officers and prosecutors to consider diverting people to treatment programs or other support services rather than charging or prosecuting them for simple drug-possession offences.

    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.

    Addiction
    Criminal law
    Harm reduction
    Illegal drug use
    Minimum sentences
    Narcotic control
    Possession of a controlled substance
    Statutes
    Substance abuse prevention

  9. Legislative Summary of Bill C-220: An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (bereavement leave)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c220-e.pdf (1.82 MB)
    Thee first reading version of Bill C-220 proposed amending the Canada Labour Code to extend the period of compassionate care leave beyond the week of the death of a family member. Provided that the maximum 28-week entitlement had not been exhausted, the compassionate care leave period would be extended by up to three weeks.

    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.

    Death
    Federally regulated private businesses
    Statutes
    Unpaid leaves
    Working conditions

  10. Legislative Summary of Bill C-23: An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Identification of Criminals Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (COVID-19 response and other measures)

    Legislative Summary
    43-2
    43-2-c23-e.pdf (1.96 MB)
    This bill aims to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of the criminal justice system in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the bill: allows law enforcement officers to obtain warrants by telecommunication (i.e., “telewarrants”) in a wider range of circumstances;·clarifies and broadens the circumstances under which accused individuals, offenders, and others involved in criminal proceedings may appear by video and/or audioconference;·permits prospective jurors to appear by videoconference during the jury selection process and provides for jury selection via electronic or other automated means;·allows courts to compel the attendance of an accused or offender for finger printing or other identification measures in certain additional circumstances;·removes restrictions on the development of case management rules for accused individuals not represented by counsel; and makes a number of technical amendments to correct minor errors and simplify the language in the Criminal Code.

    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.

    Criminal law
    Legal proceedings
    Police power
    Statutes
    Videoconferencing