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Bills before Parliament

What each bill does, in plain language. Both sides of the debate where there has been one.

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Bills 16 Petitions
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Ordered by the most recent activity in Parliament. Demos does not rank bills by importance.

Bill S-245 In committee · Senate

National Blanket Ceremony Day Act

This bill would establish a National Blanket Ceremony Day in Canada to recognize and honour Indigenous peoples and promote understanding of the impacts of colonization.

What it means for you

Once a year, Canadians would be invited to participate in or learn about the Blanket Ceremony, a teaching tool used to help people understand the history of Indigenous land loss and colonial policies.

GovernanceIdentityReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill S-234 3rd reading · Senate

National Framework on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Act

This bill would require the federal government to develop a national framework for addressing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) — a lifelong condition caused by alcohol exposure before birth — covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and support services.

What it means for you

Canadians affected by FASD and their families could benefit from a more coordinated, country-wide approach to diagnosis and support, reducing the patchwork of services that currently varies by province.

EconomicGovernanceReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill S-223 3rd reading · Senate

An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act

This bill amends the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act to require the RCMP to obtain free, prior, and informed consent from Indigenous communities before conducting certain operations or activities on their traditional lands.

What it means for you

Indigenous communities would gain a formal right to say yes or no before the RCMP carries out specific activities on their traditional territories, giving them greater control over policing on their lands.

GovernanceReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill C-37 In committee · Commons

First Nations Clean Water Act

Bill C-37 establishes a legal framework giving First Nations authority over water, drinking water, wastewater, and related infrastructure on their lands, allowing them to set their own water safety standards.

What it means for you

First Nations communities would gain the legal power to manage their own safe drinking water systems, helping to end the long-standing drinking water advisories that have affected many reserves.

GovernanceEnvironmentalReconciliation
The debate · 6 points

Supporters say

  • The bill would give First Nations authority over drinking water and wastewater on their lands, affirming their inherent right to self-government.
  • It would set enforceable national drinking water standards and regulations, closing gaps in current protections.
  • It commits the federal government to predictable, long-term funding and to a First Nations-led water commission, building on $4.6 billion over five years and the lifting of 158 long-term water advisories since 2015.

Critics say

  • The bill defines First Nations lands as reserve lands only, which may leave out traditional territories and raise doubts about whether UNDRIP, including Article 25, fully applies.
  • Chiefs say they were not properly consulted on this version of the bill, and a treaty table agreed to with the Crown has not yet met.
  • Critics say the bill is weaker than the previous version, Bill C-61, and that it lacks true co-development with First Nations, which many chiefs have requested.
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Bill C-39 In committee · Commons

Building Canada Strong Act

This is a wide-ranging omnibus bill touching many different policies important to Canadians. Included among these, it speeds up government approvals for major infrastructure and energy projects, strengthens supply chain laws, updates labour rules, and modernizes trade document processes.

What it means for you

Big construction and energy projects could get approved faster, goods could move more efficiently across Canada, and workers in federally regulated industries could see changes to collective bargaining rights. Read the deep analysis for more details.

Deep analysis
EconomicGovernanceEnvironmentalReconciliation
The debate · 6 points

Supporters say

  • The bill would speed up approvals for major projects such as energy, mining, ports and transportation corridors. Supporters say a single, coordinated review and clearer timelines would give investors more certainty and get projects built faster.
  • Supporters say the bill would reduce work stoppages in federally regulated sectors such as transportation and trade. They argue that more time to bargain, earlier access to mediation, and clearer rules would help workers and employers reach agreements before disputes escalate.
  • The bill would strengthen labour protections, including measures against wage theft and worker misclassification, better protection for workers when contracts change hands, help for workers seeking a first collective agreement, and faster grievance arbitration.

Critics say

  • Changes to section 107 of the Canada Labour Code would allow the federal government to end legal strikes and lockouts. Critics say the criteria for intervention are too broad, and they call for clear limits, written reasons to Parliament, and an independent mediator. Some unions want section 107 repealed entirely.
  • Several First Nations and Indigenous organizations say they were not properly consulted, that consultation was rushed, and that they received too little information about major projects. Some have launched court challenges, and they argue the bill could affect treaty rights and fall short of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  • Critics argue the bill would weaken environmental protections and favour fossil fuel infrastructure. They cite scientists' concerns about irreversible environmental damage and argue that Canada's climate goals are being undermined.
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Bill S-251 2nd reading · Senate

An Act to establish a national strategy to end energy poverty

This bill requires the federal government to create a national strategy to end 'energy poverty' — the inability to afford adequate heating, cooling, and electricity — with targets, reporting to Parliament, and an advisory council.

What it means for you

Low-income Canadians, seniors, renters, and people in northern or remote communities who struggle to pay energy bills could eventually benefit from new federal programs focused on affordable energy and home efficiency upgrades.

EconomicGovernanceEnvironmentalReconciliation
The debate · 3 points

Supporters say

  • A national strategy would create federal accountability for addressing energy poverty.
  • The federal government can collect and analyze data and set thresholds, so it can direct time and resources where they will have the greatest impact.
  • Improving home energy efficiency, such as furnaces and boilers, reduces energy use even when that energy comes from fossil fuels. The Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program is a positive step in this direction.

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Bill S-224 In committee · Senate

An Act to amend the Director of Public Prosecutions Act

This bill would amend the Director of Public Prosecutions Act to allow Indigenous prosecutors to handle cases involving Indigenous laws within their own communities.

What it means for you

Indigenous communities would gain greater control over their own justice systems, with Indigenous prosecutors able to enforce Indigenous laws rather than relying solely on federal prosecutors.

GovernanceReconciliation
The debate · 3 points

Supporters say

  • Indigenous communities already have functioning justice systems and laws — this bill would give them the legal tools to actually enforce those laws through their own prosecutors.
  • Decades of relying on the federal justice system have left many Indigenous communities frustrated, with 32 ongoing court cases across the country suggesting the current system is not working.
  • Recognizing Indigenous justice systems is a form of self-determination — communities like Kainai and Yukon First Nations are already developing their own approaches, and this bill would support rather than ignore that reality.

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Bill C-232 Defeated

An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (maximum security offenders)

This bill would change the rules for how maximum security prisoners in Canada are managed and released, adding new restrictions to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

What it means for you

Canadians convicted of the most serious crimes would face tougher conditions and likely longer time in maximum security institutions before being considered for release.

GovernanceReconciliation
The debate · 3 points

Supporters say

  • The bill would keep serious violent offenders out of medium-security institutions.
  • A 2019 law lets offenders be placed in the 'least restrictive environment,' which supporters say is too lenient for the most dangerous prisoners.
  • Supporters argue that recent changes to bail and sentencing have made the justice system too soft on crime.

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Bill S-225 Awaiting 1st reading · Senate

National Thanadelthur Day Act

This bill would create a National Thanadelthur Day to honour Thanadelthur, a Dene woman who played a crucial role in establishing peace between Indigenous nations and early European settlers in the early 1700s.

What it means for you

Canadians would have an official day each year to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Thanadelthur, an Indigenous woman leader whose diplomacy shaped early Canadian history.

IdentityReconciliation
The debate · 3 points

Supporters say

  • over 127,000 cases were reported to police in 2022, and a woman is killed by a partner every 48 hours in Canada.
  • The bill would create specific criminal offences for intimate partner violence and prevent police from releasing repeat offenders, giving victims stronger legal protections.
  • Vulnerable groups — including Indigenous women and young women aged 15–24 — are disproportionately affected, making targeted legislation especially urgent.

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Bill C-236 In committee · Commons

Addressing the Continuing Victimization of Homicide Victims' Families Act

This bill would allow judges and parole boards to impose harsher penalties on convicted killers who refuse to reveal where they hid their victim's remains.

What it means for you

Families of murder victims would have a stronger legal tool to pressure killers into disclosing where their loved ones' remains are, helping them achieve closure and give their loved ones a proper burial.

GovernanceReconciliation
The debate · 6 points

Supporters say

  • Withholding the location of a victim's remains causes ongoing harm to families, so judges and parole boards should be able to consider that refusal when making sentencing and release decisions.
  • The bill gives judges and parole boards discretion rather than requiring a set outcome. A court must first find beyond a reasonable doubt that the offender knows where the remains are and refuses to share that information.
  • The bill reflects the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and similar laws in Australia and the United Kingdom. Families would gain some recognition of their right to closure and a proper funeral.

Critics say

  • Corrections and parole officials say they already consider all relevant information, including whether an offender has withheld remains, so the bill may add little in practice.
  • The bill cannot force an offender to speak or guarantee that remains will be found, so its effect on recovery of remains is uncertain.
  • Some committee members questioned whether the approach raises legal or constitutional concerns, and whether it is the most effective way to address the problem.
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Bill S-208 2nd reading · Senate

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary)

This bill would change the Criminal Code to give judges more flexibility when sentencing, reducing the impact of mandatory minimum penalties so judges can consider the full circumstances of each case.

What it means for you

Judges would have more power to decide fair sentences based on individual situations, rather than being locked into automatic minimum punishments set by law.

GovernanceReconciliation
The debate · 2 points

Supporters say

  • The bill does not impose mandatory minimum sentences, so judges keep full discretion to set a sentence that fits each case.

Critics say

  • Mandatory minimum sentences are said to keep offenders in prison longer and to send society a clear message that certain crimes are serious.
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Bill C-254 Not yet scheduled

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of hatred against Indigenous peoples)

This bill would add Indigenous peoples as a specifically protected group under the Criminal Code's hate speech provisions, making it illegal to promote hatred against them.

What it means for you

Canadians who publicly promote hatred targeting Indigenous peoples could face criminal charges, giving Indigenous communities stronger legal protection against hate speech.

GovernanceIdentityReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill C-253 Not yet scheduled

National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Act

This bill directs the federal government to create a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income — a program that would provide every Canadian with a minimum amount of money to meet basic needs, no matter their work status.

What it means for you

If implemented, Canadians living in poverty — including people with disabilities, single parents, and those without stable work — could receive regular income support to cover essentials like food, housing, and utilities.

EconomicGovernanceReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill C-205 Not yet scheduled

An Act to amend the National Housing Strategy Act

This bill would amend the National Housing Strategy Act to strengthen Canada's commitment to treating housing as a human right and improve accountability for housing outcomes.

What it means for you

Canadians struggling to find affordable housing could see stronger legal protections and government accountability for meeting housing needs. Prevents removing homeless encampments from federal land. Includes indigenous peoples in deciding on programs that affect them.

EconomicGovernanceReconciliation
No debate summary yet — we'll add the for/against once this bill is debated.
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Bill C-201 Not yet scheduled

An Act to amend the Canada Health Act (mental, addictions and substance use health services)

This bill would amend the Canada Health Act to include mental health, addiction, and substance use services as covered health services — meaning they would be publicly funded and universally accessible, just like physical health care.

What it means for you

Right now, Canadians must pay out of pocket or rely on workplace benefits for therapy and mental health treatment. This bill would let you access those services with your health card, not your credit card.

EconomicGovernanceReconciliation
The debate · 6 points

Supporters say

  • Canadians with workplace benefits or money can access therapy and counselling, while those without cannot. This bill would fix that inequality by making these services universally available through the public health system.
  • untreated mental illness now costs the Canadian economy an estimated $200 billion per year, up from $50 billion in 2012. The Parliamentary Budget Officer found that achieving full parity would cost just 1.5% of total public health spending — a small investment with large returns.
  • in 2024, over 40% of Canadian adults who needed mental health care had their needs only partially met or not at all.

Critics say

  • The federal government has repeatedly promised to act on mental health parity but has not followed through, suggesting political will — not legislation — may be the real barrier. Critics question whether amending the Canada Health Act alone would force provinces to deliver better services.
  • Funding commitments announced in election campaigns (such as $150 million per year for youth mental health) have not been reflected in actual budgets, raising doubts about whether any new obligations created by this bill would be adequately financed.
  • Expanding the Canada Health Act to include community-based mental health services would require significant new transfers to provinces and territories, and the federal government has not committed to the level of funding needed to make this meaningful in practice.
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