Bill S-214 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 40th Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill S-214 amends the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act to require notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission when grievance adjudication involves human rights issues, grant adjudicators power to interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act, and repeal a related non-derogation provision.
Bill S-214 changes the rules for how employment grievances are handled at Parliament. The bill makes three main changes: 1. **Notice to Human Rights Commission**: When someone brings a grievance (a formal complaint) to adjudication (a hearing before an impartial decision-maker) and the grievance involves interpreting or applying the Canadian Human Rights Act, the person must notify the Canadian Human Rights Commission about the issue. 2. **Commission standing and observations**: The Canadian Human Rights Commission can participate in the adjudication hearing by making submissions (presenting arguments) about the human rights issue involved. 3. **Adjudicator powers**: The person appointed as an adjudicator (to decide the grievance) now has the power to interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act. This power exists even if the Canadian Human Rights Act conflicts with a collective agreement. The adjudicator can also give relief (remedies) according to sections 53(2)(e) or 53(3) of the Canadian Human Rights Act. 4. **Regulation-making**: Parliament's Board (likely referring to the National Assembly of Québec Board of Internal Economy or equivalent Parliamentary body) can make regulations to set out the process for giving notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. 5. **Repeal**: The bill repeals subsection 4(1) of the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, which previously stated that the Act did not affect Parliament's privileges, immunities, and powers under the Parliament of Canada Act.
- Requires parties raising human rights issues in parliamentary employment grievance adjudication to give notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission in a manner to be prescribed by regulation
- Grants the Canadian Human Rights Commission standing to participate in adjudication proceedings by making submissions on human rights issues
- Empowers adjudicators to interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act when deciding grievances, including cases where the Act conflicts with a collective agreement
- Authorizes adjudicators to provide remedies available under sections 53(2)(e) or 53(3) of the Canadian Human Rights Act
- Authorizes the Parliamentary Board to make regulations prescribing the manner of giving notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission
- Repeals subsection 4(1) of the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, which contained a non-derogation clause relating to Parliament of Canada Act privileges and powers
- Parliamentary employees who bring grievances to adjudication
- Parliament (employer) in grievance proceedings
- Canadian Human Rights Commission (gains standing and notice rights in certain parliamentary grievance cases)
- Adjudicators appointed to hear parliamentary employment grievances
- Parties to parliamentary employment grievance proceedings
- Obligation for a party raising a human rights issue in a grievance adjudication to give notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission (in the manner prescribed by regulation)
- Right of the Canadian Human Rights Commission to participate in adjudication proceedings by making submissions on human rights issues
- Power of adjudicators to interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act in grievance matters, regardless of conflict with collective agreements
- Right of adjudicators to grant remedies available under the Canadian Human Rights Act
- First reading: November 26, 2008
- Current stage: At second reading in the Senate (as of the provided information)
- The bill does not specify penalties for failure to give notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission
- The bill does not outline enforcement mechanisms for ensuring compliance with notice requirements
- The bill does not provide details on what 'the manner prescribed' means for giving notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission; this is to be determined by future regulations made by the Parliamentary Board
- The bill does not specify a timeline for when notice must be given
- The bill does not explain the specific circumstances under which the repeal of subsection 4(1) may affect Parliament's privileges and powers
- The bill references 'paragraph 53(2)(e) or subsection 53(3) of the Canadian Human Rights Act' but does not specify what remedies these sections provide
- It is unclear whether adjudicators can interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act only when a party raises such an issue, or whether they can do so on their own motion
- The bill does not specify the consequences for failing to give notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission
The Act is amended to add new sections requiring notice to the Canadian Human Rights Commission and granting adjudicators power to interpret and apply the Canadian Human Rights Act. Subsection 4(1), a non-derogation provision, is repealed. The Board gains authority to make regulations on notice procedures.
Source: Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Bill S-214
The bill allows adjudicators in parliamentary employment grievances to interpret, apply, and provide remedies under the Canadian Human Rights Act, extending its application to parliamentary employment disputes
Source: Sections 2 and 3 of Bill S-214
The repeal of subsection 4(1) removes a clause that stated the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act did not affect Parliament's privileges, immunities, and powers under the Parliament of Canada Act
Source: Section 1 of Bill S-214
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textParliamentary Process
Bill S-214, concerning amendments to the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, underwent its first reading in the Senate on November 26, 2008, and is now at the second reading stage.
This record indicates that Bill S-214, an Act to amend the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, completed its first reading in the Senate on November 26, 2008. This is a procedural step where the bill is formally introduced to the chamber. The bill is currently at the second reading stage in the Senate.
During a Senate sitting on November 26, 2008, Bill S-214 received first reading, and other parliamentary business, including debate on the Speech from the Throne and economic issues, was conducted.
This document records a Senate sitting on November 26, 2008. The sitting included Senators' Statements on various topics, Routine Proceedings where Bill S-214 (An Act to amend the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act) received first reading, Question Period addressing economic concerns and veterans' programs, and the continuation of debate on the Speech from the Throne. The sitting also included the adjournment of debate on the Canada Securities Bill and the adoption of the First Report of the Committee of Selection. Bill S-214 was introduced by Senator Serge Joyal and placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence. The rest of the sitting involved discussions unrelated to this specific bill.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced