Bill S-219 explained in plain English
An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 45th 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-219 creates Judicial Independence Day on January 11th annually to recognize the importance of an independent judiciary.
Bill S-219 designates January 11th of each year as 'Judicial Independence Day' across Canada. The bill emphasizes the importance of an independent judiciary for democracy and human rights, referencing international efforts to protect judicial independence.
- Designates January 11th as 'Judicial Independence Day' in all provinces and territories (Section 2).
- References the 2020 '1,000 Robes March' in Poland and the International Association of Judges' request to the UN to commemorate judicial independence efforts.
- Canadian citizens and residents (through the designation of a national day).
- Judges and legal professionals (through recognition of judicial independence efforts).
- The bill does not specify any formal ceremonies, educational activities, or government actions required on Judicial Independence Day.
- No penalties or enforcement mechanisms are outlined for non-compliance with the designation.
Establishes a new national observance day for judicial independence.
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
The Senate completed the first reading of Bill S-219 on May 28, 2025, formally introducing the proposal to establish Judicial Independence Day.
This record documents the Senate's first reading of Bill S-219, which proposes establishing Judicial Independence Day. The first reading occurred on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and was completed as a procedural step to formally introduce the bill for further consideration. This stage does not enact the law but marks the beginning of the legislative process in the Senate.
The Senate debate covers the introduction of bills, questions about official languages appointments, trade disputes, and a reference to the Speech from the Throne.
The Senate debate transcript includes several key topics. First, there is a welcome to new senators, followed by the introduction of bills S-211 and S-212. A senator raises a question about the appointment of the Commissioner of Official Languages, which the government responds to by citing the 2023-2024 budget. Another senator questions the government's stance on interprovincial trade disputes, and the government acknowledges the complexity of such issues. Finally, a speech from the throne is referenced, with a note on land acknowledgment practices.
The Senate completed the second reading of Bill S-219 on April 21, 2026, advancing it to committee consideration without altering the law.
The Senate completed the second reading of Bill S-219 on April 21, 2026, which involved debating the proposal to establish Judicial Independence Day. The bill was then referred to a committee for further consideration. During the second reading, sponsor Judy A. White (Progressive Senate Group) and Senator Leo Housakos (Conservative) delivered speeches. This procedural step does not itself create legal changes; it marks the bill's progression to committee review. A similar bill, S-291, was previously introduced in the 44th Parliament but is not directly related to the current status of S-219.
The Senate debated issues related to child benefits, sterilization consent, and a private insurance merger bill, with discussions on policy implementation and ethical considerations.
The Senate debate focused on several key issues. First, the Hon. David M. Wells raised concerns about the Canada Child Benefit and Canada Child Tax Credit, emphasizing the need for clarity in implementation. The Hon. Scott Tannas responded by highlighting the government's efforts to improve the system. Later, the debate shifted to Bill S-228, which addresses sterilization without consent, with senators discussing its implications for vulnerable populations. A private bill, S-1001, was also debated, involving a merger of insurance companies. Senator Tannas declared a private interest in this bill. Finally, a motion was proposed to refer certain documents to the Ethics Committee for review.
The Senate debated three topics on November 4, 2025: a motion on Gaza, a voting age amendment, and a war memorial inquiry, with speakers emphasizing international law, democratic participation, and historical remembrance.
The Senate debate on November 4, 2025, included discussions on three topics: (1) a motion regarding the situation in Gaza, (2) a bill to amend voting age provisions, and (3) an inquiry into a war memorial. The motion on Gaza called for the government to examine potential complicity in international law violations, referencing specific crimes. The voting age amendment debate focused on expanding democratic participation by lowering the voting age. The war memorial inquiry highlighted historical significance and the role of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in World War I.
The Senate debate records cover discussions on climate policy, tourism, voting age reform, and legislative procedures, with references to specific bills and parliamentary processes.
The provided text contains Senate debate records from Canada, focusing on various legislative and policy topics. Key themes include climate policy, tourism promotion, voting age reform, and legislative process discussions. The debates involve members of the Senate discussing proposed bills, policy directions, and procedural matters. The text includes references to specific bills (e.g., Bill C-12), committee reports, and parliamentary procedures. No final votes or legal outcomes are mentioned in the provided excerpts.
This JSON metadata references a Senate debate discussion transcript in HTML format, accessible via the provided URL.
The provided JSON contains metadata for a Senate debate transcript. The official text is available at the given URL in HTML format. The artifact is categorized as a discussion record from the Senate chamber.
The Senate debated motions to recognize wartime service, discuss the Canadian Rangers' role, and address sports funding, with multiple senators supporting recognition of veterans' contributions.
The Senate debate focused on several key topics: recognition of wartime service for Canadian veterans, the role of the Canadian Rangers in northern communities, and funding for sports programs. A motion was proposed to honor veterans' contributions, with support from multiple senators. The Canadian Rangers' historical significance and modern responsibilities were discussed, emphasizing their role in remote areas. Additionally, a report on the future of sport in Canada was mentioned, highlighting investments in sports infrastructure and accessibility.
On May 5, 2026, the Senate debated topics including sport funding, Canadian Rangers' role, wartime service recognition, and ethics committee membership, with references to Bill S-246 and adjournment motions.
The Senate debate on May 5, 2026, focused on several topics. Senators discussed physical activity and sport, including Canada's performance at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and funding for sport initiatives. There was also debate about the Canadian Rangers, their role in national security, and recognition of wartime service. A motion to adopt a report on ethics committee membership was proposed, and discussions about the Future of Sport in Canada Commission and funding allocations were mentioned. The debate included references to Bill S-246, which relates to wartime service recognition, and adjournment motions.
Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, completed its committee consideration in the Senate and is now awaiting first reading in the House of Commons.
This artifact records the completion of the 'Senate Consideration in committee' stage for Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day. This stage took place on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Following this, the bill proceeded to third reading in the Senate on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The bill is now a Senate bill awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. The artifact also notes major speeches given during the second reading stage on April 21, 2026, and lists similar bills from previous Parliaments. It does not contain the text of the bill itself or detail any amendments made.
The Senate's Human Rights Committee reported Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, back to the Senate without amendment, and the bill was scheduled for third reading.
On June 9, 2026, the Senate of Canada met. The Senate's Human Rights Committee presented its fourth report on Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, stating the bill has been examined without amendment. The Senate then scheduled the bill for third reading on the next sitting day.
Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, completed its third reading in the Senate on June 11, 2026, and is now awaiting first reading in the House of Commons.
On June 11, 2026, the Senate completed the third reading of Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day. The bill then moved to the House of Commons and was awaiting its first reading there.
On June 11, 2026, the Senate concluded tributes for a retiring senator, addressed committee reports, engaged in Question Period, and debated and passed several bills and motions, including those related to military justice, judicial independence, and federal law harmonization.
On June 11, 2026, the Senate met. A significant portion of the sitting was dedicated to tributes for Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak, who was retiring. Various senators spoke about his career, contributions, and character. Following the tributes, the Senate proceeded through routine proceedings, tabling reports from various committees, including the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, and the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. Several motions concerning the Senate's sittings and committee memberships were also adopted. Question Period addressed topics such as supervised consumption sites, fiscal anchors, food safety, early learning and child care, high-speed rail, consumer affairs, fiscal management, employment insurance, demographic transformation, francophone minority communities, and protecting youth from online pornography. Messages were received from the House of Commons regarding medical assistance in dying. The Senate then moved to Orders of the Day, which included third reading debates for Bill S-6 (Federal Law–Civil Law Harmonization Bill, No. 4) and Bill S-219 (Judicial Independence Day Bill), second reading for Appropriation Bills No. 2 and 3, 2026-27, and other legislative matters. The sitting concluded after addressing these items, with a motion to adjourn until June 15, 2026, being adopted.
This artifact indicates that Bill S-219 is awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons, with its procedural history in the Senate detailed up to third reading.
This record describes the 'House of Commons First Reading' stage for Bill S-219, 'An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day'. This stage has not yet been reached. The bill is currently a Senate bill awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. The latest activity shown is the Senate's third reading on June 11, 2026. The first reading in the House of Commons is noted as May 28, 2025. The record also lists several dates for second reading in the Senate and notes that consideration in committee and third reading occurred in June 2026 in the Senate. Major speeches during the Senate's second reading are mentioned, with the sponsor being Judy A. White and a response speech by Leo Housakos. A similar bill, S-291, from a previous Parliament is also referenced.
Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, is awaiting Second Reading in the House of Commons, and has not yet proceeded past this procedural stage.
This artifact describes the status of Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, in the House of Commons. The bill has not yet reached the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons. The record notes that the bill previously had its First Reading on May 28, 2025, and indicates that Second Reading was scheduled for multiple dates (June 10, 2025, November 4, 2025, and April 21, 2026) but has not yet occurred. It also references a similar bill, S-291, from a previous Parliament.
Bill S-219 has not yet reached the committee stage in the House of Commons, and is currently awaiting first reading there, having completed third reading in the Senate.
This artifact indicates that Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, has not yet reached the stage of 'Consideration in committee' in the House of Commons. The bill is currently a Senate bill awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. The last recorded activity was the third reading in the Senate on June 11, 2026. It also lists dates for first and second readings in the House of Commons, as well as details about major speeches given during the second reading stage in the Senate.
Bill S-219, an Act to establish Judicial Independence Day, is a Senate bill that has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, having most recently completed third reading in the Senate.
The House of Commons has not yet reached the Report stage for Bill S-219, which aims to establish Judicial Independence Day. The bill is currently a Senate bill awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. The latest activity recorded for this bill was its third reading in the Senate on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and its second reading on several dates in 2025 and 2026. The source text also notes major speeches occurred during the second reading in the Senate and mentions that a similar bill, S-291, was introduced in a previous Parliament.
Bill S-219, aiming to establish Judicial Independence Day, has completed its Senate stages and is awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons, with the third reading in the House not yet having occurred.
The artifact describes the legislative process for Bill S-219, An Act to establish Judicial Independence Day. This bill has moved from the Senate and is awaiting its first reading in the House of Commons. The provided text details the bill's history, including its first and second readings, committee consideration, and third reading in the Senate. It also notes that the 'House of Commons Third reading' stage has not yet been reached. The artifact also references a similar bill, S-291, from a previous Parliament.
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