· enhance RCMP accountability;
· introduce new measures to combat and prevent terrorism;
· improve to the Witness Protection Program;
· give equal rights to women and girls living on reserves;
· increase financial transparency for First Nations;
· create a new framework to provide safe drinking water for First Nations reserves; and
· provide Canada’s assent to changes that will enshrine gender equality and freedom to marry an individual of another faith in the laws governing the Royal line of succession.
Through a productive and hardworking sitting of the House of Commons, we have delivered real results for Canadians by strengthening our economy, creating jobs and supporting families. Below is a summary of the legislation introduced by our government or by Conservative MPs during the 41st Parliament which received Royal Assent during the past year. If you would like additional information on any of these bills please go to http://www.mprandyhoback.ca/2013-legislative-review/
Bill C-15, Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This legislation reflects recommendations made by a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada (CMAC) and makes significant amendments to the National Defense Act, including:
· Further enhancing the independence of military judges;
· Expressly providing in legislation the purposes, principles and objectives of sentencing in the military justice system;
· Expanding the pool of Canadian Forces members eligible to serve on a court martial panel;
· Providing for additional sentencing options, including absolute discharges, intermittent sentences and restitution orders, as well as the ability to submit victim impact statements at courts martial;
· Improving the efficiency of the grievance and military police complaints processes; and
· Establishing the position of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal in legislation and specifying the Provost Marshal’s responsibilities.
For more information: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3960
Bill C-28, Financial Literacy Leader Act
Royal Assent Received on March 27, 2013
This legislation represents the first step in moving forward on the recommendations of the Task Force on Financial Literacy, established in 2009 by the Minister of Finance by establishing the Financial Literacy Leader. The Act expands the responsibilities of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada to include collaborating and coordinating with stakeholders to contribute to and support initiatives that strengthen the financial literacy of Canadians. It also sets out the duties, powers and functions of the Financial Literacy Leader, enabling him or her to carry out activities in support of strengthening financial literacy. For more information: http://www.fin.gc.ca/n11/data/11-125_1-eng.asp. If you would like to review the Task Force on Financial Literacy’s Report, Canadians and Their Money: Building a Brighter Future in its entirety, I welcome you to use the following link: http://www.financialliteracyincanada.com/canadians-and-their-money.html.
Bill C-32, An Act to Amend the Civil Marriage Act
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
Bill C-32 introduced amendments to the Civil Marriage Act, and provides an avenue for the dissolution of marriages between non-residents that were performed in Canada. This legislation fixed this anomaly in Canada’s civil marriage laws, and made all marriages of non-resident couples that were performed in Canada valid under Canadian law. Bill C-32 also allowed these couples to end their marriages if they cannot get a divorce where they live. For more information: http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/LegislativeSummaries/bills_ls.asp?source=library_prb&ls=C32&Parl=41&Ses=1&Language=E&Mode=1
Bill C-43, Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
Bill C-43 expedites the removal of foreign criminals from Canada and enhances the safety and security of Canadians. The Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act focuses on three areas:
· Making it easier for the Government to remove dangerous foreign criminals from our country;
· Making it harder for those who may pose a risk to Canada to enter the country in the first place; and
· Removing barriers for genuine visitors who want to come to Canada.
This legislation follows through on our government’s commitment to streamline the process to deport convicted criminals by limiting their access to the Immigration and Refugee Board’s Immigration Appeal Division. This will reduce the amount of time certain criminals may remain in Canada by up to 14 months, reducing their chances of committing more crime on Canadian soil. These amendments, which update the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and our immigration program, complement the recent measures in the Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act as well as the Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. For more information: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2012/2012-06-20.asp
Bill C-48, Technical Tax Amendments Act 2012
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
Bill C-48 is a comprehensive package of technical income tax amendments. Previously, there was a significant backlog of outstanding measures that needed to be addressed in order to provide certainty for Canadian taxpayers. The Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012 clears the backlog with the inclusion of outstanding income tax and sales tax amendments, the majority of which have already been released for public consultation. Specifically, from 2009 to 2011, in advance of the Technical Tax Amendments Act, 2012, the government engaged in open and public consultations on the majority of the proposed amendments included in the legislation. For more information: http://www.fin.gc.ca/drleg-apl/nwmm-amvm-1012n-eng.asp
Bill C-50, Appropriation Act No. 4, 2012-13
Royal Assent Received on December 14, 2012
Appropriation Act No. 4, 2012-13, provides for the release of supply for Supplementary Estimates (B), 2012-13 and allocates the spending of $2.5 billion in voted expenditures. These expenditures were provided for within the planned spending set out by the Minister of Finance in his March 2012 budget. This legislation authorizes payments to defray certain expenses of the public service of Canada, not otherwise provided for, for the financial year ending 31 March 2013. For more information: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20122013/aa-lc-eng.asp
Bill C-51, Safer Witnesses Act
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
This legislation introduced changes to the Witness Protection Program Act to make the Federal Witness Protection Program more effective for those it’s designed to protect while also being responsive to law enforcement needs. These amendments will enhance the program and provide better service to other witness protection programs, through:
· Improved processes to obtain secure identity changes for witnesses in the provincial program;
· Broadened prohibitions against the disclosure of information;
· Expanded admissions for national security, national defence and public safety sources, and;
· Extension of the amount of time emergency protection may be provided.
For more information: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2012/nr20121211-1-eng.aspx
Bill C-52, Fair Rail Freight Service Act
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
This legislation gives companies that ship goods by rail the right to a service agreement with railways. It also created an arbitration process to establish an agreement when commercial negotiations fail. Bill C-52 fulfilled a key commitment following the recommendations made by the Rail Freight Service Review Panel in 2011. The Panel’s report encouraged the use of bilateral service agreements between shippers and railways as an effective way of bringing more clarity, predictability and reliability to rail service. Most shippers acknowledge there has been improvement in rail service since the Review began. The new legislative provision built upon that progress, and helped to solidify these gains. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/backgrounders-fair-rail-freight-service-act-6992.htm
Bill C-53, Succession to the Throne Act, 2013
Royal Assent Received on March 27, 2013
This legislation puts an end to the practice of placing male children before their elder sisters in the line of succession and removes legal provisions that heirs marrying Roman Catholics would be ineligible to succeed to the Throne. For more information: http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1359650749665/1359650788754
Bill C-55, Response to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse Act
Royal Assent Received on March 27, 2013
This legislation responds to the Supreme Court of Canada decision in R. v. Tse. The legislation adds new privacy safeguards to the Criminal Code’s existing provision for wiretaps in situations of imminent harm.
Parliament enacted Section 184.4 of the Criminal Code in 1993. Section 184.4 of the Criminal Code currently allows for the use of wiretapping without a court authorization when there is imminent harm (such as in the case of kidnappings or bomb threats). The Supreme Court found that Section 184.4 of the Criminal Code, as currently drafted, violates Section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms due to the lack of a requirement for after-the-fact notification of persons whose private communications were intercepted. The Supreme Court of Canada suspended its declaration of invalidity until April 13, 2013, to allow Parliament to amend the provision to make it constitutionally compliant.
The legislation would directly respond to the guidance from the Court by adding the safeguards of “notification” and “reporting” to Section 184.4 of the Criminal Code. Specifically, Bill C-55 would make three changes:
· Notification within 90 days – Notification would require that persons whose private communications have been intercepted in situations of imminent harm be notified within 90 days (subject to any extensions granted by a judge).
· Annual reports – Reporting would require annual reports on the use of imminent harm wiretaps.
· Restricting the usage – The changes would limit the authority to use this provision to police officers (currently it is available to the broader category of peace officers) and only to the offences listed in Section 183 of the Criminal Code.
For more information: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2013/doc_32855.html
Bill C-58, Appropriation Act No. 5, 2012-13
Royal Assent Received on March 27, 2013
This legislation authorizes payments to defray certain expenses of the public service of Canada, not otherwise provided for, for the financial year ending 31 March 2013. For more information: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20122013/aa-lc-eng.asp
Bill C-59, Appropriation Act No. 1, 2013-2014
Royal Assent Received on March 27, 2013
This legislation authorizes payments to defray certain expenses of the public service of Canada, not otherwise provided for, for the financial year ending 31 March 2014. For more information: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2013/0225-eng.asp
Bill C-60, Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
This legislation included measures to advance economic progress and prosperity by:
Building a stronger economy and promoting job growth:
· Extending for two years the temporary accelerated capital cost allowance for new investments in machinery and equipment by Canadian manufacturers.
· Indexing Gas Tax Fund payments to better support job-creating infrastructure in municipalities across Canada.
· Reforming the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to ensure that Canadians are given the first crack at available jobs.
· Extending for one year the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for flow-through share investors.
· Modernizing the Investment Canada Act as announced in December 2012 to clarify the treatment of proposed investments in Canada by foreign state-owned enterprises and the timeline for national security reviews.
· Providing $165 million in multi-year support for genomics research through Genome Canada.
· Providing $18 million to the Canadian Youth Business Foundation to help young entrepreneurs grow their firms.
· Providing $5 million in 2013–14 to Indspire for post-secondary scholarships and bursaries for First Nations and Inuit students.
Supporting Canadian families and communities:
· Promoting adoption by enhancing the Adoption Expense Tax Credit to better recognize the costs of adopting a child.
· Introducing a new, temporary First-Time Donor’s Super Credit for first-time claimants of the Charitable Donations Tax Credit to encourage all young Canadians to donate to charity.
· Expanding tax relief for home care services to better meet the health care needs of Canadians.
· Removing tariffs on imports of baby clothing and certain sports and athletic equipment.
· Providing $56 million in total transfer protection payments to Manitoba and New Brunswick.
· Providing $30 million in 2013–14 to support the construction of new housing in Nunavut.
· Investing $20 million in the Nature Conservancy of Canada to continue to conserve ecologically sensitive land.
· Providing $3 million to the Pallium Foundation of Canada to support training in palliative care for front-line health care providers.
· Committing $3 million to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to expand library services for the blind and partially sighted.
· Supporting veterans and their families by no longer deducting veterans’ disability benefits when calculating other select benefits.
· Streamlining the process for approving tax relief for Canadian Armed Forces members and police officers.
Respecting Canadian taxpayers’ dollars:
· Improving the fairness of the tax system.
· Eliminating duplication.
· Taking steps to align employee compensation offered by Crown corporations with what is available to federal employees.
For more information: http://www.fin.gc.ca/n13/13-064-eng.asp
Bill C-62, Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This legislation ratified the Yale First Nation Final Agreement, a step previously taken by the Yale First Nation and the Province of British Columbia. The Yale First Nation Final Agreement is the third final agreement to be reached under the BC treaty process. The Final Agreement brings certainty to the ownership and use of lands and resources in the area, creates opportunities for Yale First Nation and provides predictability for continued development and growth in the province. For more information: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1365859126794/1365859269634
Bill C-63, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2013-14, and Bill C-64, Appropriation Act No. 3, 2013-14
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
Appropriation Bills No. 2 and 3, 2013-14 provide for the release of the remainder of supply for the 2013-14 Main Estimates. Bills C-63 and C-64 authorize payments to defray certain expenses of the public service of Canada, not otherwise provided for, for the financial year ending 31 March 2014. For more information: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/esp-pbc/aa-lc-eng.asp
Bill S-2, Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This bill provides basic rights and protections to individuals on reserves during a relationship, in the event of a relationship breakdown, and on the death of a spouse or common-law partner regarding the family home and other matrimonial interests or rights. It sets out provisions for the enactment of First Nation laws respecting on-reserve matrimonial real property, as well as provisional federal rules to fill the legislative gap. For more information: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1317172955875/1317173115233
Bill S-7, Combating Terrorism Act
Royal Assent Received on April 25, 2013
This bill reintroduced provisions from the Combating Terrorism Act (Bill C-17 from the previous Parliament) to re-enact the investigative hearing and recognizance-with-conditions measures. These two provisions expired in 2007 and subsequent bills that were introduced to re-enact these provisions died on the Order Paper at the dissolution of Parliament. Also added are new offences of leaving, or attempting to leave, Canada to commit a terrorism offence. For more information: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2012/doc_32703.html
Bill S-8, Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This bill allows the government, in collaboration with First Nations, to develop federal regulations for access to safe drinking water, and to ensure the effective treatment of wastewater and the protection of sources of drinking water on First Nation lands.
For more information: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1330529331921/1330529392602
Bill S-9. Nuclear Terrorism Act
Stage: Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
Bill S-9 amends the Criminal Code to create four new offences related to nuclear terrorism, including:
· possessing or trafficking nuclear or radioactive material or a nuclear or radioactive device, or committing an act against a nuclear facility or its operations, with the intent to cause death, serious bodily harm or substantial damage to property or the environment;
· using or altering nuclear or radioactive material or a nuclear or radioactive device, or committing an act against a nuclear facility or its operation, with the intent to compel a person, a government or a domestic or international organization to do, or refrain from doing, anything;
· committing an indictable offence for the purpose of obtaining nuclear or radioactive material or a nuclear or radioactive device or to obtain access or control of a nuclear facility, and;
· the threat to commit these offences.
For more information: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2012/doc_32717.html
Bill S-11, Safe Food for Canadians Act
Royal Assent Received on November 22, 2012
Bill S-11 consolidated the authorities of the Fish Inspection Act, the Canada Agricultural Products Act, the Meat Inspection Act, and the food provisions of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act. The Act:
· makes food as safe as possible for Canadian families;
· protects consumers by targeting unsafe practices;
· implements tougher penalties for activities that put health and safety at risk;
· provides better control over imports;
· institutes a more consistent inspection regime across all food commodities, and;
· strengthens food traceability.
For more information: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/acts-and-regulations/initiatives/sfca/eng/1338796071420/1338796152395
Bill S-14, Fighting Foreign Corruption Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
Bill S-14 made amendments to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA), including making it a criminal offence in Canada for persons or companies to bribe foreign public officials to obtain or retain an advantage in the course of international business. The act was created as a result of Canada’s obligations under the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Transactions, which Canada ratified in 1998. For more information: http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2013/02/05b.aspx?lang=eng&view=d
Bill S-15, Expansion and Conservation of Canada’s National Parks Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
Bill S-15 has formally protected Sable Island National Parks Reserve under the Canada National Parks Act. It has provided for the establishment of Sable Island National Park Reserve of Canada, amended commercial zoning in the Community of Field in Yoho National Park of Canada and reconfigured the leasehold boundary of the Marmot Ski Basin Area in Jasper National Park of Canada. For more information: http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/cp-nr/release_e.asp?id=1958&andor1=nr
Bill S-17, Tax Conventions Implementation Act, 2013
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This bill implemented four recent tax treaties that Canada has concluded with Namibia, Serbia, Poland and Hong Kong. This enactment also implemented amendments to provisions for the exchange of tax information found in the tax treaties that Canada has concluded with Luxembourg and Switzerland. For more information: http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=6025582&View=8
Bill C-300, Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention Act
Royal Assent Received on December 14, 2012
This legislation requires the federal government to establish a framework for suicide prevention and recognize suicide as a public health issue. Additionally, Bill C-300 implements the following actions:
· provide guidelines to improve public awareness and knowledge about suicide;
· disseminate information about suicide, including information concerning its prevention;
· make statistics publicly available regarding suicide and its related risk factors;
· promote collaboration and knowledge exchange in suicide prevention;
· define the best practices for the prevention of suicide, and;
· promote the use of research and evidence-based practices for the prevention of suicide.
For more information: http://haroldalbrechtmp.ca/mp/c300-suicide-prevention/
Bill C-304, An Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (Protecting Freedom)
Royal Assent Received on June 26, 2013
Bill C-304 repeals Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Debates over the interpretation and application of Section 13 by human rights tribunals had caused a number of free speech controversies arising from nuisance cases that never would have been considered if they’d been handled within the judicial system. Bill C-304 amends the Canadian Human Rights Act by deleting sections 13 and 54 to ensure there is no infringement on freedom of expression guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. For more information: http://parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=Hansard&Doc=51&Parl=41&Ses=1&Language=E&Mode=1#int-4899960
Bill C-309, Concealment of Identity Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This Act targets those who conceal their identity with a mask while rioting. The provisions of the Concealment of Identity Act created two new Criminal Code offences:
· an indictable offence targeting those who take part in a riot while wearing a mask or disguise to conceal identity, without lawful excuse; and
· a hybrid offence, targeting those who participate in an unlawful assembly while wearing a mask or disguise to conceal identity, without lawful excuse. The maximum penalty on indictment for this offence would be five years, and on summary conviction the maximum penalty would be six months imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $5,000.
For more information: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2012/doc_32741.html
Bill C-383, Transboundary Waters Protection Act
Royal Assent Received on June 19, 2013
This legislation ensures that all waters under federal jurisdiction are protected from bulk water removals while complementing provincial protections that are already in place to protect waters under their jurisdiction. For more information: http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5321564&View=4
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by Randy Hoback's MP Report
