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FederalDid not become law (session ended)44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill S-204 explained in plain English

An Act to amend the Customs Tariff (goods from Xinjiang)

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

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament
Legislature / Parliament
Parliament of Canada
Session
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill S-204
Full title
An Act to amend the Customs Tariff (goods from Xinjiang)
Current status
Did not become law (session ended)
Latest event
At second reading in the Senate
Last updated
May 10, 2022

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.

Chamber
Parliament of Canada
Current Stage
At second reading in the Senate
Latest Activity
May 10, 2022
Plain-language explanation
In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing
Short Version

This bill prohibits the import of goods from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China under the Customs Tariff, effective one year after royal assent.

What It Means

Bill S-204 amends Canada's Customs Tariff to ban the importation of goods made in whole or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The ban takes effect one year after the bill receives royal assent.

What This Bill Does
  • Adds a new provision to the Customs Tariff (section 136.1) that prohibits importing goods manufactured or produced in whole or in part in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, overriding other provisions in the Act
  • Specifies the bill comes into force on the first anniversary of the day it receives royal assent (section 3)
Who Is Affected
  • Importers attempting to bring goods from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China into Canada
  • Customs authorities responsible for enforcing import regulations
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The bill does not specify which goods are included in the prohibition beyond being 'manufactured or produced wholly or in part' in Xinjiang
  • The exact implementation details for enforcement are not provided in the text
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Customs Tariff
amended

Now includes a prohibition on imports from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China

Source: Section 136.1

Commencement provision
established

Specifies when the bill's provisions become legally effective

Source: Section 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 text

Parliamentary Process

Step 1
First reading
Nov 24, 2021
Completed

Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Customs Tariff related to goods from Xinjiang, completed its first reading in the Senate on November 24, 2021, and is currently at the second reading stage.

Introduction and first reading, Nov 24, 2021
End of stage activity, Nov 24, 2021
Chamber sittings
Introduction and first reading - Nov 24, 2021

During a Senate sitting on November 24, 2021, tributes were paid to the late Senator Judith Keating, and Bill S-204 (An Act to amend the Customs Tariff) was introduced at first reading, alongside numerous other bills and notices of motion, before debate on hybrid sittings was adjourned.

Step 2
Second reading
May 10, 2022
Not completed

The Senate is currently debating Bill S-204 at its second reading stage, which proposes amendments to the Customs Tariff related to goods from Xinjiang.

Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Feb 24, 2022

During a Senate sitting on February 24, 2022, senators discussed numerous topics including the invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 measures, and economic issues, with Bill S-204 concerning goods from Xinjiang beginning its second reading debate.

During this Senate sitting, senators predominantly discussed and condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with other brief discussions on various community and national matters, and procedural business including bill introductions.

Debate at second reading - May 10, 2022

The Senate continued debate on Bill S-204, an Act to amend the Customs Tariff concerning goods from Xinjiang, with senators discussing its implications and potential for committee review.

On May 10, 2022, the Senate engaged in legislative business, including debates on multiple bills addressing diverse issues from border security and economic measures to autism support, voting age, Indigenous culture, trade, and post-secondary institution stability.

Step 3
Third reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Customs Tariff related to goods from Xinjiang, has not yet reached the Senate Third Reading stage, with its latest activity being debate at Second Reading.

Step 1
First reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Customs Tariff for goods from Xinjiang, has undergone first reading in the House of Commons but has not yet reached this stage according to the artifact's state, while currently being debated at second reading in the Senate.

Step 2
Second reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Customs Tariff regarding goods from Xinjiang, has not yet proceeded to the second reading stage in the House of Commons, though it is currently undergoing second reading in the Senate.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204, concerning amendments to the Customs Tariff related to goods from Xinjiang, has not yet reached the committee stage in the House of Commons and is currently undergoing debate at the second reading stage in the Senate.

Step 4
Report stage
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204 has not reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, and its current progress is at second reading in the Senate.

Step 5
Third reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-204 has not yet reached the Third Reading stage in the House of Commons and is currently at Second Reading 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

No published recorded division

This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.

Sponsor
Leo Housakos
Senator | Conservative Party of Canada | Quebec
Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament

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