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FederalPassed43rd Parliament, 2nd Session

Bill C-17 explained in plain English

An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021

Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

Short answer

Bill C-17 authorizes $20.87 billion in federal funding for public administration in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, allocating resources to departments, agencies, and programs while establishing financial management rules.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament
Legislature / Parliament
Parliament of Canada
Session
43rd Parliament, 2nd Session
Bill number
Bill C-17
Full title
An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021
Current status
Passed
Latest event
Royal assent received
Last updated
Dec 10, 2020

Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 2nd 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.

Chamber
Parliament of Canada
Current Stage
Royal assent received
Latest Activity
Dec 10, 2020
Plain-language explanation

AI-generated from official bill text; automatically checked and spot-reviewed.

AI-assisted
Short Version

Bill C-17 authorizes $20.87 billion in federal funding for public administration in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, allocating resources to departments, agencies, and programs while establishing financial management rules.

What It Means

Bill C-17 is a federal Appropriation Act that provides funding for federal government operations for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. It allocates $20,874,356,291 to cover expenses for various departments and agencies, effective April 1, 2020. The bill outlines how funds are distributed, including specific amounts for programs like healthcare, infrastructure, and international aid, and sets rules for managing finances under laws such as the Financial Administration Act.

What This Bill Does
  • Approves total funding of $20,874,356,291 for federal public administration expenses
  • Sets effective date of April 1, 2020 for financial transfers
  • Allocates funds to specific agencies and departments (e.g., Health, Indigenous Services, National Defence)
  • Authorizes use of regulated fees and revenues to offset program costs
  • Establishes salary limits for ministers under the Salaries Act and Parliament of Canada Act
  • Details capital and operating expenditures for various programs and services
  • Includes provisions for international financial assistance and defence contributions
Who Is Affected
  • Federal departments (e.g., Health, Indigenous Services, National Defence)
  • Agencies (e.g., Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)
  • Ministers and senior officials (salary limits and payment rules)
  • Provinces and municipalities (receiving funding for shared undertakings)
  • International financial institutions (subject to assistance limits)
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • Exact distribution of funds to specific programs is not detailed in the summary
  • Penalties for non-compliance with financial rules are not specified
  • Details about how fees are calculated or monitored are not provided
  • Specific program outcomes or performance metrics are not outlined
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Financial Administration Act
References sections 29.1(2)(a), 29.2 for revenue offsetting authority and financial management rules

Allows federal departments to use revenues from regulated fees (e.g., broadcasting licenses, telecommunications fees) to cover program costs.

Salaries Act
Links to salary payment rules for ministers

Sets limits on ministerial salaries and establishes payment procedures.

Consolidated Revenue Fund
Serves as the primary funding source for appropriations

Centralizes federal government revenue collection and disbursement.

International Development (Financial Institutions) Assistance Act
References subsection 12(2) for financial assistance limits

Limits government support to international financial institutions to $260.55 million.

Defence Appropriation Act, 1950
References section 3 for defence contributions approval

Authorizes funding for defence operations and international military commitments.

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. Coverage is limited to the official text extracted for this bill version.

Official text

Parliamentary Process

Step 1
First reading
Dec 8, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

First reading, Dec 8, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2020
Chamber sittings
First reading - Dec 8, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 2
Second reading
Dec 10, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Second reading, Dec 10, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 10, 2020
Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Dec 9, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Sponsor’s speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Debate at second reading - Dec 10, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debates of the Senate yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 3
Third reading
Dec 11, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Third reading, Dec 11, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 11, 2020
Chamber sittings
Debate at third reading - Dec 10, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debates of the Senate yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 1
First reading
Dec 7, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

First reading, Dec 7, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 7, 2020
Chamber sittings
First reading - Dec 7, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 2
Second reading
Dec 8, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Second reading and referral to committee, Dec 7, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2020
Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Dec 7, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Dec 8, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Committee report presented without an amendment, Dec 7, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2020
Chamber sittings
Committee report presented without an amendment - Dec 7, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Committee report presented without an amendment yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 4
Report stage
Dec 8, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Concurrence at report stage, Dec 7, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2020
Chamber sittings
Debate at report stage - Dec 7, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 5
Third reading
Dec 8, 2020
Completed

We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Third reading, Dec 7, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2020
Chamber sittings
Debate at third reading - Dec 7, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debate at third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

Step 1
Royal assent
Dec 11, 2020
Royal assent, Dec 11, 2020
End of stage activity, Dec 11, 2020
Chamber sittings
Royal assent - Dec 10, 2020

We don't have a plain-language summary for Royal assent yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Debates of the Senate yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech yet. The official source linked below is the full record.

We don't have a plain-language summary for Response speech 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

Yes
210
No
118
Abstain
0
Absent / Other
0
Final recorded House vote
Dec 7, 2020
328 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.
Sponsor
Jean-Yves Duclos
Liberal | Québec Centre
Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament

No published representative vote breakdown

The current official sources do not publish a recorded division breakdown for this bill, so there is no representative-by-representative table to show.

Official sources

This plain-English summary is based on official legislative sources and public records. It is intended for civic education and is not legal advice.

How this data is sourced