Bill C-14 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act and the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 41st 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 C-14 amends federal trade law to make orders requiring Canada to pay tariff costs and monetary penalties enforceable through the Federal Court and repeals a provision in the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act.
Bill C-14 makes changes to Canada's internal trade laws. It updates how the Agreement on Internal Trade is described in Canadian law to account for amendments to the agreement. The main practical change is that it allows orders made under Chapter 17 of the Agreement on Internal Trade—which require the Government of Canada to pay tariff costs or monetary penalties—to be registered as Federal Court orders so they can be enforced like regular court orders. This applies to orders made under three specific articles of the agreement dealing with cost awards and financial penalties. The bill also removes a clarifying statement (subsection 28(3)) from the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act that previously confirmed certain trade dispute proceedings were covered under that act.
- Updates the definition of 'Agreement' in the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act to refer to the Agreement signed in 1994 'as amended from time to time' rather than only the published version
- Creates a new process allowing orders to pay tariff costs or monetary penalties made under Chapter 17 of the Agreement on Internal Trade (specifically Articles 1706.1, 1716(3), and 1707(11)) against the Government of Canada to be registered as Federal Court orders for enforcement purposes
- Establishes that registered orders can be enforced using the same procedures as any other Federal Court order
- Specifies that orders registered with the Federal Court are final, binding, and not subject to appeal
- Updates references in the Governor in Council's authority to suspend or impose retaliatory trade measures, changing from Article 1710 to Article 1709 of the Agreement
- Clarifies the requirements the Governor in Council must follow when making retaliatory orders, including standing requirements and conditions from specific articles of the Agreement
- Updates appointment procedures for trade dispute panellists to reference updated agreement articles and annexes
- Repeals subsection 28(3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act
- The Government of Canada—subject to orders under Chapter 17 of the Agreement on Internal Trade requiring payment of tariff costs or monetary penalties, which can now be enforced through the Federal Court
- Provincial governments—parties to the Agreement on Internal Trade that may bring complaints under the agreement
- Parties to the Agreement on Internal Trade—may file certified copies of orders in the Federal Court to enforce them
- The Federal Court—gains jurisdiction to register and enforce orders issued under the Agreement on Internal Trade
- Trade dispute panellists—their appointment procedures are updated to reflect changes to the Agreement
- The Government of Canada must pay tariff costs and monetary penalties ordered under the Agreement on Internal Trade; such orders can now be enforced as Federal Court orders
- Parties to the Agreement or persons in whose favour an order is made may file a certified copy with the Federal Court Registry to convert the order into a Federal Court order for enforcement
- Orders made into Federal Court orders are enforceable using the same procedures as any other Federal Court order
- Orders registered with the Federal Court are final and binding and cannot be appealed
- The Governor in Council may suspend or impose retaliatory measures only in accordance with the requirements and conditions specified in Articles 1703(8) and 1709(3), (4), and (10) of the Agreement
- Bill was introduced for first reading on October 6, 2011
- As of the provided information, the bill is at second reading in the House of Commons and has not yet been passed into law
- The bill creates a mechanism for enforcing orders requiring Canada to pay tariff costs and monetary penalties under the Agreement on Internal Trade; the specific amounts of potential costs and penalties are not detailed in the bill text
- Orders to pay tariff costs made under Article 1706.1 or 1716(3) of the Agreement are enforceable against the Government of Canada
- Orders to pay monetary penalties made under Article 1707(11) of the Agreement are enforceable against the Government of Canada
- Once registered with the Federal Court, these orders are enforceable using standard Federal Court enforcement procedures
- Registered orders are final and binding, not subject to appeal to any court
- The bill does not specify what dispute or circumstances lead to orders for tariff costs or monetary penalties under the Agreement on Internal Trade; these are defined in Chapter 17 of the Agreement itself, which is not included in the bill text
- The bill does not detail the specific procedures for registering orders with the Federal Court beyond stating a certified copy must be filed with the Registry
- The bill does not explain the practical implications of removing subsection 28(3) from the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act or whether other provisions still cover trade dispute proceedings
- The bill does not specify when these amendments come into force, though it refers to changes 'as amended from time to time' suggesting it applies to the Agreement with all future amendments
The definition of 'Agreement' is updated to reference the 1994 agreement as amended. New section 8.1 is added allowing orders to pay tariff costs and monetary penalties against Canada to be made into Federal Court orders for enforcement. Section 9 is modified to update references to articles of the Agreement dealing with retaliatory measures. Section 12 is updated to reflect new agreement article numbers for panellist appointments.
Source: Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of Bill C-14
Subsection 28(3), which clarified that certain trade dispute proceedings were covered by the act, is removed.
Source: Section 7 of Bill C-14
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 textThe official summary published alongside the bill, shown exactly as written.
Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
A legislative summary is currently being prepared for this bill by the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament. Meanwhile, the following executive summary is available. On 6 October 2011, the Minister of State (Agriculture) introduced Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act and the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act (Improving Trade Within Canada Act), in the House of Commons and it was given first reading. The Agreement on Internal Trade, a national agreement that commits governments to reducing barriers to the free movement of goods, services, investments and persons within Canada, was signed by Canadian first ministers in 1994. Bill C-14 amends the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act to reflect changes made to Chapter 17 of the Agreement on Internal Trade. It provides primarily for the enforceability of orders to pay tariff costs and monetary penalties made under Chapter 17 of the Agreement against the Government of Canada. It also repeals subsection 28(3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act.
This is the official summary published by the Parliament of Canada, shown verbatim. Not legal advice. PoliticalData.ca did not write or edit this text.
View on LEGISinfoParliamentary Process
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 Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Bill C-14, concerning amendments to trade and liability acts, completed its first reading in the House of Commons on October 6, 2011, and is currently at the second reading stage.
This artifact shows that Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act and the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act, completed its first reading in the House of Commons on October 6, 2011. The bill is currently at the second reading stage. The provided text also notes that a similar bill, C-57, was introduced in a previous Parliament.
During a House of Commons sitting, Bill C-14 received its first reading, while extensive debate occurred on Bill C-13, including discussions on economic policy and the use of time allocation.
This record details the first reading of Bill C-14, an Act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act and the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act. The sitting included routine proceedings where various bills were introduced, including Bill C-14 by the Minister of Industry. It also included debate on Bill C-13, the "Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act", which involved discussions about government spending, economic policies, and the use of time allocation motions to limit debate.
The House of Commons began debating Bill C-14, an act to amend trade and liability laws, at its second reading stage on November 24, 2011, but the debate was not finished.
On November 24, 2011, the House of Commons debated Bill C-14 at its second reading stage. This stage involves a general discussion of the bill's purpose and principles. The debate on this day was not completed. The bill, titled 'Improving Trade Within Canada Act,' aims to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act and the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act. A similar bill, C-57, was introduced in a previous Parliament.
In the House of Commons, the second reading debate of Bill C-14, the Improving Trade Within Canada Act, focused on strengthening the Agreement on Internal Trade with new enforcement mechanisms, including monetary penalties for non-compliant governments.
On November 24, 2011, the House of Commons debated Bill C-14, the Improving Trade Within Canada Act, which aims to strengthen the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) by introducing monetary penalties for governments that fail to comply with its provisions. The bill also updates appointment criteria for panel members and makes minor changes to related acts. The debate primarily focused on the AIT's structure, its potential impact on provincial and regional economies, and the balance between facilitating trade and allowing provinces to legislate for public good, such as environmental protection or supporting local industries. Concerns were also raised about the dispute resolution process and the qualifications of panel members.
During the second reading debate on Bill C-14, the Improving Trade Within Canada Act, the House of Commons discussed amendments to the Agreement on Internal Trade, focusing on strengthening enforcement mechanisms through monetary penalties for non-compliant governments.
This artifact is a record of the House of Commons debate on Bill C-14, the Improving Trade Within Canada Act. The debate focused on the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) and proposed amendments to strengthen its enforcement. The main procedural event was the continuation of the debate at the second reading stage. The sponsor of the bill, Mike Lake, highlighted the importance of internal trade for Canada's economy, the evolution of the AIT, and specifically the proposed changes to the dispute resolution process, including the introduction of monetary penalties for governments that fail to comply with the agreement. He emphasized that Bill C-14 implements Canada's commitment to these changes. Other members, particularly from the NDP, raised concerns about potential negative impacts of the AIT on provincial powers, supply management, and regional economic development, suggesting that a balance is needed. The debate also touched upon the structure of compliance panels and the need for bilingualism within those panels.
MPs debated Bill C-14, focusing on strengthening the Agreement on Internal Trade through improved dispute resolution and monetary penalties, and discussed its economic implications for Canada and its provinces.
During a House of Commons debate on Bill C-14, the Improving Trade Within Canada Act, on November 24, 2011, Members of Parliament discussed the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). The debate focused on proposed amendments to strengthen the AIT's enforcement mechanisms, particularly concerning dispute resolution between governments and the implementation of monetary penalties for non-compliance. MPs also touched on the importance of internal trade for Canada's economy, labour mobility, and the challenges of balancing interprovincial trade with regional economic policies and supply management systems.
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