Bill S-207 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (foreign postings)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 40th Parliament, 2nd 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-207 proposed to amend the Employment Insurance Act to extend the qualifying period for employment insurance benefits for individuals residing abroad with a spouse or common-law partner employed by the Canadian Forces or the federal public administration.
Bill S-207 proposed to amend the Employment Insurance Act. The purpose was to extend the period during which a person qualifies for employment insurance benefits. This extension would apply to individuals who were not employed in insurable employment because they were living outside of Canada with a spouse or common-law partner who was working abroad with the Canadian Forces or the federal public administration. The bill suggested this extension could result in a qualifying period of up to 260 weeks.
- It proposed to amend the Employment Insurance Act.
- It aimed to extend the qualifying period for employment insurance.
- It specified that the extension would be for individuals residing outside Canada with a spouse or common-law partner employed abroad by the Canadian Forces or federal public administration.
- It suggested this extension could allow for a qualifying period of up to 260 weeks.
- Individuals who are insured persons under the Employment Insurance Act.
- Spouses or common-law partners of individuals employed outside of Canada with the Canadian Forces.
- Spouses or common-law partners of individuals employed outside of Canada with the federal public administration.
- The bill proposed to create a new condition under which an insured person's qualifying period for employment insurance could be extended.
- The bill proposed to modify the maximum allowable extension of a qualifying period.
- The bill was given first reading on January 27, 2009.
- The bill text does not specify how the 'Commission' (likely referring to the Canada Employment Insurance Commission) would direct the manner of proof for these circumstances.
- The bill was not proceeded with, so its proposed changes were not enacted into law.
The bill proposed to change provisions related to the qualifying period for employment insurance benefits.
Source: Title and Section 1
It proposed to add a new condition (paragraph b.1) to extend the qualifying period for those residing outside Canada with a spouse or common-law partner employed abroad by the Canadian Forces or federal public administration.
Source: Section 1(1)
It proposed to modify the maximum duration of a qualifying period. While generally limited to 104 weeks, it proposed an exception allowing up to 260 weeks for extensions related to residing abroad with a qualifying spouse or common-law partner.
Source: Section 1(2)
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-207, concerning amendments to the Employment Insurance Act for foreign postings, was introduced in the Senate but was ultimately withdrawn after a point of order was raised.
This artifact describes the initial procedural steps for Bill S-207 in the Senate. The bill was introduced at its first reading on January 27, 2009. However, a point of order was raised regarding its acceptability, and the bill was later dropped from the Senate's Order Paper on February 24, 2009, following a Speaker's ruling. The bill was not proceeded with.
Bill S-207, concerning amendments to the Employment Insurance Act regarding foreign postings, was introduced and given first reading in the Senate on January 27, 2009.
On January 27, 2009, during the Senate sitting, Bill S-207, an Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (foreign postings), was introduced and received its first reading. This is a procedural step and does not signify the bill has been debated or passed.
Bill S-207, concerning amendments to the Employment Insurance Act for foreign postings, was at the Senate's second reading stage when a point of order was raised, and the bill was subsequently withdrawn.
This artifact describes the status of Bill S-207 at the second reading stage in the Senate on January 29, 2009. A point of order was raised concerning the bill's acceptability. The bill was later dropped from the Senate Order Paper on February 24, 2009, pursuant to a Speaker's ruling.
During the Senate's second reading debate of Bill S-207, which seeks to extend EI benefit qualification periods for spouses of public servants posted abroad, a point of order was raised regarding whether the bill requires a Royal Recommendation, leading the Speaker to reserve a ruling.
On January 29, 2009, the Senate debated Bill S-207, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (foreign postings). During the debate, Senator Sharon Carstairs explained that the bill aims to extend the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit qualification period to five years for spouses of Canadian foreign service members and Armed Forces personnel who leave their jobs to accompany their partners on postings abroad. Senator Gerald J. Comeau raised a point of order, arguing that the bill requires a Royal Recommendation because it would create a new class of claimants and relax eligibility conditions, potentially increasing government spending. He cited Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules & Forms and various rulings from the House of Commons to support his argument that the bill should be introduced in the other place (House of Commons). Senator Carstairs and other senators argued that the bill does not create new expenditures but merely adjusts qualification periods and that such bills have been introduced in the Senate before. The Speaker reserved judgment on the point of order. The debate on Bill S-207 was adjourned.
During the Senate's second reading debate of Bill S-207, a point of order was raised arguing the bill requires a Royal Recommendation and must originate in the House of Commons, leading the Speaker to reserve a ruling.
This artifact contains the transcript of a Senate debate on January 29, 2009, related to Bill S-207, an Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act concerning foreign postings. During the debate, Senator Sharon Carstairs moved second reading of the bill, explaining its purpose: to extend the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit period from 52/104 weeks to five years for spouses of Canadian Forces members or public service employees serving abroad. This would allow them to qualify for EI upon return to Canada after being unable to work while accompanying their spouse. Following her speech, Senator Gerald J. Comeau raised a point of order, arguing that the bill would create new expenditures and relax eligibility conditions, thus requiring a Royal Recommendation and should be introduced in the House of Commons, not the Senate. Senator Carstairs and others countered that the bill merely changed qualification rules and did not set costs, and that previous similar bills had been introduced in the Senate. The Speaker reserved their ruling on the point of order. The bill's status is 'Bill not proceeded with', and this stage of the process was 'Not completed'.
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