Bill S-204 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs)
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 43rd 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-204 creates new criminal offences for trafficking in human organs and makes people engaged in such conduct inadmissible to Canada.
Bill S-204 amends federal law to create new criminal offences related to trafficking in human organs and to make people who engage in such conduct inadmissible to Canada. The bill adds a new section (240.1) to the Criminal Code that makes it illegal to: - Obtain an organ for transplant into yourself or someone else, knowing or being reckless about whether the person it came from did not give informed consent - Remove, carry out, participate in, or facilitate the removal of an organ from someone, knowing or being reckless about whether informed consent was not given - Help with organ removal in any way, knowing or being reckless about whether informed consent was not given - Obtain or help obtain an organ for transplant knowing or being reckless about whether it was obtained for money or other payment These offences carry a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. The bill also changes the Criminal Code to say that Canadians and permanent residents who commit these organ trafficking offences outside Canada can be prosecuted in Canada, as if they committed the offence here. Any prosecution requires approval from the Attorney General. Finally, the bill amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act so that permanent residents and foreign nationals can be declared inadmissible to Canada if the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration believes they have engaged in conduct that would be an organ trafficking offence under the new Criminal Code section.
- Creates new criminal offence under section 240.1 of the Criminal Code for obtaining an organ for transplant knowing that informed consent was not given
- Creates new criminal offence for removing, carrying out, participating in, or facilitating organ removal knowing that informed consent was not given
- Creates new criminal offence for assisting with organ removal knowing that informed consent was not given
- Creates new criminal offence for obtaining an organ for transplant knowing it was obtained for money or other consideration
- Sets maximum prison sentence of 14 years for organ trafficking offences
- Amends Criminal Code section 7 to make Canadian citizens and permanent residents who commit organ trafficking offences outside Canada liable to prosecution in Canada
- Requires Attorney General consent before prosecuting organ trafficking offences committed outside Canada
- Amends Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to make permanent residents and foreign nationals inadmissible to Canada if they have engaged in organ trafficking conduct
- Canadian citizens who commit organ trafficking offences outside Canada
- Permanent residents who commit organ trafficking offences outside Canada or Canada
- Foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in Canada who have engaged in organ trafficking
- People involved in removing, obtaining, carrying out, participating in, or facilitating organ removal without informed consent
- People obtaining organs for transplant when consent was not given or when organs were obtained for money
- The Attorney General (must consent to prosecutions)
- The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (makes decisions on inadmissibility)
- Organ donors and their authorized representatives (protected by requiring informed consent)
- No person may obtain an organ for transplant without informed consent from the donor or authorized representative
- No person may remove, carry out, participate in, or facilitate organ removal without informed consent
- No person may assist with organ removal without informed consent
- No person may obtain organs for transplant knowing they were obtained for money or other consideration
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents can be prosecuted in Canada for organ trafficking offences committed outside Canada
- Attorney General must consent before organ trafficking prosecutions can proceed
- Permanent residents and foreign nationals can be declared inadmissible to Canada based on organ trafficking conduct
- The minister must form an opinion about whether someone engaged in conduct constituting organ trafficking to make an inadmissibility decision
- Bill is currently at second reading in the Senate, so it has not been passed or proclaimed into force yet
- No direct taxation or government revenue impacts are described in the bill
- Organ trafficking offences are indictable (serious) offences
- Maximum imprisonment of 14 years for organ trafficking offences under section 240.1(1) or (2)
- Permanent residents can be made inadmissible and subject to removal from Canada based on organ trafficking conduct
- Foreign nationals can be denied entry to Canada based on organ trafficking conduct
- Prosecution requires Attorney General consent
- The bill does not define 'informed consent' beyond stating what it is not; the scope of this term may be subject to interpretation
- The bill does not specify how the Minister will assess whether someone has engaged in conduct constituting organ trafficking for inadmissibility purposes
- The bill does not define what 'consideration' means in the context of obtaining organs for payment
- The bill does not explain how Canadian authorities will investigate or gather evidence for organ trafficking offences committed outside Canada
- The bill does not describe procedures or timelines for Attorney General consent to prosecutions
- The bill does not specify whether inadmissibility determinations are subject to appeal or judicial review
- The practical applicability of these provisions may depend on international cooperation and evidence-gathering capabilities
Adds new subsection (4.2) to extend Canadian criminal law to organ trafficking offences committed outside Canada by Canadian citizens and permanent residents
Source: Clause 1(1)
Clarifies that prosecution of organ trafficking offences deemed committed in Canada requires Attorney General consent
Source: Clause 1(2)
New offence sections for trafficking in human organs, including removal without informed consent and financial transactions related to organs, with maximum 14-year prison sentence
Source: Clause 2
Adds new ground of inadmissibility (paragraph c.1) for permanent residents and foreign nationals who have engaged in organ trafficking conduct
Source: Clause 3
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-204, concerning amendments to the Criminal Code and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act related to human organ trafficking, completed its first reading in the Senate on December 10, 2019.
This artifact describes the first reading of Bill S-204 in the Senate on December 10, 2019. First reading is a procedural step where a bill is formally introduced and is not debated at this stage. The bill, titled "An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs)", was introduced and completed its first reading. The summary also notes that a similar bill, S-240, was introduced in a previous Parliament. The current status of Bill S-204 is 'At second reading in the Senate', indicating it has progressed beyond first reading.
On December 10, 2019, Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act regarding human organ trafficking, received its first reading in the Senate as part of routine proceedings.
This artifact details the first reading of Bill S-204 in the Senate on December 10, 2019. The record includes various Senate proceedings such as senators' statements on diverse topics, tabling of committee reports, and the introduction of several bills, including Bill S-204. Bill S-204, titled "An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs)", was introduced by Senator Salma Ataullahjan and read for the first time. The artifact does not contain debate or discussion specifically about Bill S-204 at this stage; it primarily records the procedural step of its introduction.
Bill S-204, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act concerning human organ trafficking, is currently at the Senate's second reading stage with no recorded activity.
This record indicates that Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act related to trafficking in human organs, is currently at the second reading stage in the Senate. The stage itself shows no specific activity at this time. The bill was first read in the Senate on December 10, 2019. The artifact also notes that a similar bill, S-240, was introduced in a previous parliamentary session with the same purpose.
Bill S-204 concerning human organ trafficking has not yet reached its third reading in the Senate and is currently at the second reading stage in the Senate, having also completed third reading in the House of Commons.
The artifact indicates that Bill S-204, concerning trafficking in human organs, has not yet reached the Senate Third Reading stage. The bill's current status is 'At second reading in the Senate'. The latest recorded activity was its introduction and first reading on December 10, 2019. The information also notes that a similar bill, S-240, was introduced in a previous Parliament. Additionally, it states that the bill is currently at the 'consideration in the Senate of amendments made by the House of Commons' stage, with its last major completed stage being 'Third reading in the House of Commons'.
Bill S-204, concerning trafficking in human organs, has reached its first reading stage in the House of Commons but this stage has not yet occurred; the bill's most recent procedural action was its introduction in the Senate.
This artifact describes the 'First Reading' stage for Bill S-204 in the House of Commons. According to the provided text, this stage has 'Not reached'. The latest activity related to this bill was its introduction and first reading in the Senate on December 10, 2019. The bill's current status is 'At second reading in the Senate'. The text also notes a similar bill, S-240, introduced in a previous Parliament.
Bill S-204, concerning trafficking in human organs, has not yet reached the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons but has progressed further in the Senate.
This record indicates that Bill S-204 has not yet reached the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons. The bill's latest activity was its introduction and first reading in the Senate on December 10, 2019. The bill is currently at the Second Reading stage in the Senate, and its last major stage completed was Third Reading in the House of Commons.
Bill S-204, concerning trafficking in human organs, has not yet reached the committee stage in the House of Commons, with its current status being second reading in the Senate.
The House of Commons Consideration in Committee stage for Bill S-204 has not yet been reached. The bill's current status is at second reading in the Senate. Its last major completed stage was third reading in the House of Commons.
The House of Commons Report stage for Bill S-204 has not yet been reached, and the bill is currently at second reading in the Senate.
This record describes the House of Commons Report stage for Bill S-204. However, the stage state is listed as 'Not reached', meaning no proceedings or decisions related to the report stage have occurred yet in the House of Commons. The bill's current status is 'At second reading in the Senate'. The latest activity noted was its introduction and first reading in the Senate on December 10, 2019.
Bill S-204, concerning trafficking in human organs, has reached the 'House of Commons Third reading' stage, though this stage has not yet occurred, and the bill is currently at second reading in the Senate after House of Commons amendments.
This artifact describes the stage of Bill S-204 in the legislative process. The bill, which aims to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act concerning trafficking in human organs, has reached the 'House of Commons Third reading' stage. However, the record indicates that this stage has 'Not reached'. The current overall status of the bill is 'At second reading in the Senate'. The latest activity recorded was its introduction and first reading in the Senate on December 10, 2019. The artifact also notes that the last major stage completed was 'Third reading in the House of Commons' and that the bill is currently 'At consideration in the Senate of amendments made by the House of Commons'.
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