Bill S-235 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 42nd 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-235 expands Canada's cluster munitions prohibition to include a new ban on investing in or lending money to entities that have violated cluster munitions laws.
Bill S-235 amends the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act to create a new prohibition against investing in or financing organizations that have breached the law on cluster munitions, explosive submunitions, and explosive bomblets. The bill also updates related offences (such as attempting, aiding, abetting, or conspiring to commit prohibited acts) to include this new investment prohibition. People and organizations who already held investments or loans in such entities before this law came into force have one year to divest (sell or withdraw) those investments or loans.
- Adds a new prohibition (paragraph 6(d.1)) that makes it illegal for any person to acquire or hold any financial interest in, directly or indirectly, an entity that has breached cluster munitions laws, or to loan funds or guarantee loans to such an entity, if the person knows of the breach
- Updates the definitions of related criminal offences—including attempting, aiding, abetting, conspiring, or assisting persons to evade—to include this new investment prohibition
- Updates section 11(3) to clarify that military cooperation exceptions to the prohibition similarly apply to the new investment ban
- Provides a one-year transitional period allowing people who held investments, loans, or loan guarantees in such entities before the law came into force to divest themselves of these interests without penalty
- Canadian individuals and organizations (as the bill applies to 'any person')
- Any person or entity that has already invested in or loaned funds to organizations that have committed cluster munitions violations
- Organizations involved in cluster munitions, explosive submunitions, or explosive bomblets that have breached the law
- Military personnel and organizations engaged in military cooperation or combined military operations with non-Convention states
- No person may knowingly acquire, hold, or invest financially (directly or indirectly) in an entity that has breached cluster munitions prohibitions
- No person may knowingly loan funds to or guarantee loans for such entities
- Persons who held such investments or loans before the coming into force of this Act must divest within one year of the Act's commencement to avoid violating the prohibition
- Related offences (attempt, aiding, abetting, conspiracy, or assisting another person to escape) now extend to the new investment prohibition
- The bill provides a one-year transitional period from the coming into force of this Act for existing investors or lenders to divest their interests
- None explicitly stated in the bill text
- The bill text does not specify what penalties apply to violation of the new investment prohibition. Existing penalties under the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act would apply, but the bill does not detail these.
- The bill does not specify what penalties apply to violations of the new investment prohibition
- The bill does not define what constitutes a 'pecuniary interest' or explain how it is determined whether a person knows an entity has committed a breach
- The bill does not specify how or by whom breaches of cluster munitions laws are determined or declared
- The term 'coming into force' is used but no specific date is provided in the bill text
- The bill does not clarify whether the one-year divestment period applies to persons who made passive investments versus active management roles
The Act is updated to expand its scope from prohibiting possession, development, production, and use of cluster munitions to also prohibiting financial investment in and loans to entities that have violated cluster munitions laws. Related offence provisions and military cooperation exceptions are also expanded to cover the new investment prohibition.
Source: Sections 2, 3, and 4 of Bill S-235
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-235, concerning amendments to the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act regarding investments, completed its first reading in the Senate on December 15, 2016, and was later referred to committee after second reading proceedings.
This artifact describes the initial procedural steps for Bill S-235 in the Senate. The bill received its first reading on December 15, 2016. It then proceeded to second reading on March 9, 2017, followed by speeches related to second reading on May 30, 2017, and June 13, 2017. The bill was subsequently referred to a Senate committee on June 13, 2017, and is currently at the consideration in committee stage. This artifact does not contain the full text of the bill or details of its potential impacts, only the procedural milestones.
On December 15, 2016, Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments), was introduced and received first reading in the Senate.
This document records the Senate proceedings on December 15, 2016. The primary procedural event related to Bill S-235 was its introduction and first reading. The debate in the Senate covered various topics including Acadian Remembrance Day, achievements of Memorial University, international relations with Kazakhstan, tributes to individuals, reports from parliamentary delegations, and government business such as the tabling of reports and the presentation of bills. Several bills were at different stages of the legislative process, including Bill C-26 (Canada Pension Plan amendments), Bill C-6 (Citizenship Act amendments), and Bill S-215 (Criminal Code amendments regarding sentencing for violent offences against Aboriginal women). The artifact also includes Question Period discussions on various matters and concludes with the Senate adjourning until January 31, 2017. The introduction of Bill S-235 occurred during Routine Proceedings.
Bill S-235 completed its second reading in the Senate and was referred to committee for further consideration.
This artifact describes the Senate's second reading stage for Bill S-235. This stage is now complete. The bill was introduced on December 15, 2016, and had its second reading on March 9, 2017. Key speeches were made on May 30, 2017, and June 13, 2017. Following this stage, the bill was referred to a committee on June 13, 2017, and is currently under committee consideration.
On March 9, 2017, the Senate began the second reading debate for Bill S-235, an act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act concerning investments, after which the debate was adjourned.
On March 9, 2017, the Senate convened and engaged in various procedural activities. Among the items addressed, Bill S-235, "An Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments)," was introduced and debated at second reading. Senator Salma Ataullahjan moved second reading of the bill, and after her remarks, the debate was adjourned. The sitting also included Senators' Statements, Routine Proceedings, Question Period, and other "Orders of the Day" such as the debate and amendment of Bill C-6 concerning citizenship, and the second reading of Bill S-5 regarding tobacco and vaping products. The specific focus of this artifact is the Senate's proceeding with Bill S-235 at the second reading stage.
During a Senate debate on Bill S-235, which aims to prohibit investments in cluster munitions, the sponsor highlighted the humanitarian crisis caused by these weapons and the need to end Canadian financial support for their production.
This record details a Senate debate at the second reading stage for Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments). The debate is currently adjourned, meaning it has been paused and will resume at a later date. The speech by Senator Ataullahjan, which introduced the bill, described the devastating impact of cluster munitions on civilians, particularly children, and highlighted concerns about Canadian financial institutions investing in companies that manufacture these weapons. The senator also shared personal connections to the issue and emphasized the need to strengthen Canadian legislation to prohibit such investments, aligning with international conventions.
During a Senate sitting on May 30, 2017, debate continued on Bill S-235, an act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act, focusing on prohibiting investments in cluster munition producers.
This record details a sitting of the Senate on May 30, 2017. The sitting included various procedural matters, debates on several bills, and discussions on different topics. Specifically for Bill S-235, An Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments), the debate at second reading continued. Senators discussed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Canada's role in international efforts, and the existing legislation's limitations regarding investments in cluster munition producers. The bill aims to explicitly prohibit such investments to align with the convention's spirit and provide clear guidelines for financial institutions.
During a Senate debate focused on various legislative matters and political events, Senator Elizabeth Hubley spoke in favour of Bill S-235, an act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act, stating that it would close a gap in current legislation by explicitly prohibiting investments in cluster munition producers.
This Senate debate record from May 30, 2017, primarily discusses other Senate business and bills, rather than Bill S-235 itself. The main focus of the provided text is on the election of a new leader for the Conservative Party, congratulatory remarks, discussions on various reports and bills (including Bill C-16 concerning human rights and the Criminal Code, Bill S-3 regarding the Indian Act, and Bill C-22 about national security oversight), and notices of motions. There is a brief mention of Bill S-235 during the debate on the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments), where Senator Elizabeth Hubley speaks in support of the bill, highlighting that current legislation does not go far enough in prohibiting investments in cluster munition producers and that Bill S-235 would address this gap.
On June 13, 2017, the Senate sat, with proceedings including senator statements, routine proceedings, question period, and debates on multiple bills and committee reports.
The Senate met on June 13, 2017. The sitting included statements by senators on various topics, routine proceedings where bills and reports were tabled, question period on a range of government issues, and the consideration of various bills and committee reports. Notably, debate continued on several bills, including Bill C-44 (Budget Implementation Bill, 2017, No. 1) and Bill S-235 (Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments)).
Bill S-235 is currently at the Senate committee stage for consideration, with no committee activity reported yet, following its referral and second reading speeches.
The Senate committee is considering Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act related to investments. The bill was referred to the committee on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. There has been no activity in the committee stage so far. Key speeches were made during the bill's second reading on Thursday, March 9, 2017, Tuesday, May 30, 2017, and Tuesday, June 13, 2017.
Bill S-235, concerning amendments to the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act related to investments, is awaiting its Report stage in the Senate, having most recently been referred to committee.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-235 in the Senate. The bill is currently at the Report stage, but this stage has not yet been reached. The latest procedural activity noted was the referral of the bill to a committee on June 13, 2017. The bill had its first reading on December 15, 2016, and its second reading on March 9, 2017. There were major speeches recorded during the second reading period on May 30, 2017, and June 13, 2017, including speeches by Senator Salma Ataullahjan and Senator Elizabeth Hubley.
Bill S-235, concerning amendments to the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act regarding investments, is currently under committee consideration in the Senate, with the third reading stage not yet reached.
The provided text describes the procedural status of Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments), within the Senate. It indicates that the bill is currently 'At consideration in committee in the Senate' and that the 'Senate Third reading' stage has 'Not reached'. The latest procedural activity noted is the bill's referral to committee on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. It also lists the dates for the bill's First reading (Thursday, December 15, 2016) and Second reading (Thursday, March 9, 2017), along with references to major speeches given during the Second reading stage in May and June 2017, including speeches by Senator Salma Ataullahjan and Senator Elizabeth Hubley.
This artifact documents the procedural progression of Bill S-235, including its First Reading in the House of Commons and subsequent referral to a Senate committee.
This record shows the procedural steps for Bill S-235 in the House of Commons. The bill had its First Reading on Thursday, December 15, 2016. This stage means the bill was formally introduced. The bill was later referred to a committee in the Senate on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. The current status indicates it is under consideration by a committee in the Senate. The provided text also lists dates for Second Reading and associated speeches in the Senate.
This artifact outlines the procedural stage of Bill S-235 in the House of Commons as 'Second reading', noting it had not yet been reached, while also providing historical context of its passage in the Senate.
This artifact describes the progress of Bill S-235. While the bill is currently before a Senate committee, this specific record details its status as having reached 'Second reading' in the House of Commons. The House of Commons Second reading stage was not yet reached at the time this artifact was generated. The record indicates that the bill was introduced in the Senate on December 15, 2016, and had its Second reading in the Senate on March 9, 2017. Speeches from Senators Salma Ataullahjan and Elizabeth Hubley are noted as having occurred around the Second reading in the Senate.
Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (investments), has not yet undergone consideration in committee in the House of Commons, with its latest procedural movement being a referral to a Senate committee.
This record indicates that Bill S-235, concerning amendments to the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act related to investments, has not yet reached the stage of 'Consideration in committee' in the House of Commons. The latest recorded activity for this bill was its referral to a committee in the Senate on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. The bill had its first reading on Thursday, December 15, 2016, and its second reading on Thursday, March 9, 2017, in the Senate.
Bill S-235 has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, and is currently under consideration by a Senate committee.
This record indicates that Bill S-235, concerning amendments to the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act related to investments, has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons. The bill's current status is "At consideration in committee in the Senate." The latest recorded activity was its referral to a Senate committee on June 13, 2017. The artifact provides a timeline of the bill's progress, including its first reading on December 15, 2016, and second reading on March 9, 2017, in the Senate, along with dates for major speeches during the second reading in the Senate.
Bill S-235 has not yet reached the Third Reading stage in the House of Commons and is currently under consideration in a Senate committee.
This record indicates that Bill S-235, an Act to amend the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act, has not yet reached the Third Reading stage in the House of Commons. The bill's current status is 'At consideration in committee in the Senate'. The last recorded activity was its referral to a Senate committee on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. The record also notes previous readings and major speeches in the Senate.
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