Click on any step to learn more about the Canadian legislative process
To become Canadian federal law, a bill must be approved in identical form by both houses of Parliament – the Senate and the House of Commons. All bills follow a process of debate, review and voting. After a bill is passed by both the Senate and the House of Commons, the Governor General grants Royal Assent and the bill becomes a law.
Ideas for new laws often begin outside of Parliament. By signing petitions, meeting with parliamentarians and sharing their perspectives, Canadians indicate what they want to change. Political parties include these ideas in their election platforms. Parliamentarians bring these ideas into Parliament by writing them down in the form of bills (proposals for new laws).
These are proposals for laws that will affect the public in general. Most public bills are introduced by Government Ministers. Bills sponsored by the Government are numbered from C-1 to C-200 in order of presentation. If they are introduced first in the Senate, they are numbered starting S-1.
These are limited in scope: they concern an individual or group of individuals only. They confer a right on some person or group, or relieve them of a responsibility.
Most legislation originates with the Government. Before a bill reaches Parliament, it goes through a detailed preparation process:
Policy proposal requiring legislation is submitted to Cabinet by Minister(s).
Policy proposal is considered by the appropriate Cabinet committee and recommendations are made to the Cabinet.