Bill S-3 explained in plain English
An Act to amend the Judges Act
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 44th 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
The bill updates the Judges Act to improve judicial accountability, diversity, and financial oversight while maintaining judicial independence.
This bill amends the Judges Act to modernize procedures for removing judges, handling complaints against judges, and ensuring diversity in judicial appointments. Key changes include expanding grounds for judicial removal, introducing new complaint review processes, and adding diversity requirements for judicial appointments. The bill also modifies financial regulations for judicial offices and expands the scope of the Judicial Advisory Committees to include non-judicial office holders.
- Amends the definition of 'Minister' in the Judges Act to clarify roles in judicial removal processes (Section 12(1)).
- Expands grounds for judicial removal to include 'serious misconduct' and 'failure to uphold judicial independence' (Section 12(2)).
- Introduces a new process for reviewing complaints against judges, including public hearings and a requirement for the Minister to respond publicly (Section 13).
- Adds a diversity requirement for judicial appointments, mandating the Judicial Advisory Committees to consider underrepresentation of visible minorities and Indigenous peoples (Section 14).
- Modifies financial regulations for judicial offices, including annuity calculations and expense reimbursements (Section 15).
- Expands the Judicial Advisory Committees to include non-judicial office holders, such as members of the bar or legal aid organizations (Section 16).
- Establishes new powers for hearing panels to investigate complaints and recommend actions, including public hearings (Section 17).
- Creates an appeal process for decisions made by hearing panels, with the final authority resting with the Minister (Section 18).
- Judges
- Judicial Advisory Committees
- Minister of Justice
- Hearing panels
- Complainants against judges
- Public (through increased transparency in complaint processes)
- The bill does not specify exact criteria for 'serious misconduct' or 'failure to uphold judicial independence', leaving interpretation to regulatory bodies.
- The financial provisions (Section 15) do not detail specific changes to annuity calculations or expense reimbursements, relying on subsequent regulations.
- The expanded role of Judicial Advisory Committees (Section 16) does not clarify how non-judicial members will be selected or weighted in decision-making.
The bill updates procedures for judicial removal, complaint handling, and diversity requirements in judicial appointments.
Diversity requirements for judicial appointments align with the Canadian Human Rights Act's principles of equity and inclusion.
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 1 December 2021, Sen. Marc Gold introduced Bill S-3, An Act to amend the Judges Act in the Senate and it was given first reading. Bill S-3 amends the Judges Act to replace the process through which the conduct of federally appointed judges is reviewed by the Canadian Judicial Council. It establishes a new process for reviewing allegations of misconduct that are not serious enough to warrant a judge’s removal from office and makes changes to the process by which recommendations regarding removal from office can be made to the Minister of Justice. As with the provisions it replaces, this new process also applies to persons, other than judges, who are appointed under an Act of Parliament to hold office during good behaviour.
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
Bill S-3, concerning amendments to the Judges Act, was introduced and received first reading in the Senate but was subsequently withdrawn before proceeding further.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, completed its first reading in the Senate on December 1, 2021. However, the bill was later withdrawn from the Senate Order Paper on December 15, 2021, with leave from the Senate.
During a Senate sitting on December 1, 2021, Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, was introduced and received first reading, while other significant debates and question periods occurred.
On December 1, 2021, the Senate of Canada held a sitting that included routine proceedings, question period, and the consideration of various bills. During routine proceedings, Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, was introduced and received its first reading. Other proceedings involved notices of motions regarding the study of estimates and bills, and a motion to affect the sitting's adjournment. The sitting also included a question period where senators raised issues concerning the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, softwood lumber tariffs, commitments to fight HIV/AIDS, immigration processing backlogs, employment insurance reform, and online harms. Two bills, Bill S-206 (amending the Criminal Code regarding juror disclosure) and Bill S-216 (amending the Income Tax Act regarding registered charities), were debated at second reading. The debate on Bill S-206 was adjourned, and the debate on Bill S-216 was also adjourned.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, was at the second reading stage in the Senate before being withdrawn on December 15, 2021.
On December 7, 2021, Bill S-3 reached the second reading stage in the Senate. However, the bill was later withdrawn from the Senate Order Paper on December 15, 2021, meaning it was not proceeded with.
On December 7, 2021, the Senate debated several bills, including those related to judges, conversion therapy, and autism, while also addressing other procedural matters and a motion on climate change, with Bill S-3, concerning the Judges Act, having its debate adjourned.
This record details a Senate sitting on December 7, 2021. It includes the introduction of candidates for Speaker pro tempore, tributes to notable individuals, tabling of committee reports, and a lengthy Question Period covering various government responsibilities. The main legislative business discussed includes the second reading debates for Bill S-2, an Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act, which was passed; Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, for which debate was adjourned; Bill C-4, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy), which was passed; Bill S-203, an Act respecting a federal framework on autism spectrum disorder, for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-207, an Act to change the name of the electoral district of Châteauguay—Lacolle, for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-210, an Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material, for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-213, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (independence of the judiciary), for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-217, an Act respecting the repurposing of certain seized, frozen or sequestrated assets, for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-223, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs), for which debate was adjourned; Bill S-230, an Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, for which debate was adjourned. Additionally, the Senate adopted a motion to invite ministers to participate in Question Period and adopted the third report of the Committee of Selection regarding the committee meeting schedule. A motion recognizing climate change as an urgent crisis was also debated. The record indicates Bill S-3 was not proceeded with and the stage state was 'Not completed'.
On December 7, 2021, the Senate of Canada debated the second reading of Bill S-3, aiming to modernize the process for judicial conduct oversight and removal, with the debate being adjourned.
On December 7, 2021, the Senate of Canada was engaged in its regular proceedings. A significant portion of the sitting involved the second reading debate for Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act. Senator Pierre J. Dalphond initiated the debate, explaining the bill's purpose, which is to reform the process for overseeing the conduct of federally appointed judges and to ensure the fairness, effectiveness, and public confidence in the process for removing a Superior Court judge. He detailed historical context, current shortcomings in the Judges Act, and proposed amendments designed to improve efficiency, flexibility, and transparency. The debate for Bill S-3 was adjourned, meaning it was not concluded on this date. The sitting also included other legislative debates, discussions on various motions, and question period addressing diverse government issues.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, was withdrawn from the Senate Order Paper at the Third Reading stage on December 15, 2021.
This artifact concerns Bill S-3, which aimed to amend the Judges Act. The bill reached the stage of Third Reading in the Senate. However, the bill was ultimately withdrawn from the Senate Order Paper on December 15, 2021, meaning it was not proceeded with further. This action occurred after its first and second readings in the Senate.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, was withdrawn in the Senate before it reached the First Reading stage in the House of Commons.
The provided text indicates that Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, did not proceed. It was dropped from the Senate Order Paper and withdrawn on December 15, 2021. The artifact relates to the House of Commons First Reading stage, which was noted as 'Not reached'. The bill had reached the second reading in the Senate before being withdrawn.
Bill S-3, intended to amend the Judges Act, was withdrawn in the Senate before reaching the House of Commons, and therefore has not proceeded to second reading in the House of Commons.
This record indicates that Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, has not proceeded in the House of Commons. The bill was withdrawn in the Senate on December 15, 2021, before it could reach the second reading stage in the House of Commons. The bill had reached second reading in the Senate. Similar bills have been introduced in previous Parliaments.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, did not proceed to the 'House of Commons Consideration in committee' stage as it was withdrawn in the Senate before reaching further stages.
This record indicates that Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, did not proceed further in the House of Commons. Specifically, the stage for 'House of Commons Consideration in committee' was 'Not reached'. The bill was withdrawn in the Senate on December 15, 2021. Information about this bill's progress in the House of Commons is limited because it was withdrawn before reaching this stage.
Bill S-3, concerning amendments to the Judges Act, was listed for Report stage in the House of Commons but was ultimately withdrawn in the Senate before reaching that stage.
The official record indicates that Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, reached the Report stage in the House of Commons. However, the status of this stage is 'Not reached.' The bill was withdrawn in the Senate on December 15, 2021, before proceeding further.
Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, did not reach the third reading stage in the House of Commons because it was withdrawn in the Senate.
This record indicates that Bill S-3, an Act to amend the Judges Act, did not proceed to the third reading stage in the House of Commons. The bill was withdrawn in the Senate on December 15, 2021, after its second reading. The artifact specifies the House of Commons third reading stage was 'Not reached'.
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