Bill S-248 explained in plain English
An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month
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-248 proposes to designate the month of July annually as Caribbean Heritage Month in Canada.
Bill S-248 is a proposed law that would officially recognize the month of July every year as Caribbean Heritage Month across Canada. The bill's preamble highlights the historical and ongoing contributions of people of Caribbean origin to Canada's economic, social, political, and cultural life, and acknowledges the influence of Caribbean culture on modern Canadian society.
- It designates the month of July in each year as "Caribbean Heritage Month".
- All Canadians
- The bill does not specify any particular events, activities, or funding associated with the designation of Caribbean Heritage Month.
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-248, an Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, completed its first reading in the Senate on May 26, 2026, and was referred to committee for consideration on June 9, 2026.
This record describes the first reading of Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, in the Senate on May 26, 2026. The bill was subsequently referred to a committee on June 9, 2026, where it is now undergoing consideration. A speech was made during the second reading on June 9, 2026.
The Senate sat on May 26, 2026, hearing statements on various topics, advancing several bills including one respecting Caribbean Heritage Month through first reading, and debating other legislative matters and inquiries.
On May 26, 2026, the Senate convened. The sitting included statements on various topics, including Eid al-Adha, Africa Day, aging and human rights, forced adoptions, and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Routine proceedings saw the presentation of a committee report on the Bail and Sentencing Reform Bill and the first reading of several bills, including Bill S-248, an Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month. Several notices of motion were also given. The Senate then proceeded to debate and third reading of other bills, including the Connected Care for Canadians Bill (Bill S-5), the Special Economic Measures Act amendment bill (Bill S-214), and the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking Bill (Bill S-235). The Senate also adopted a report from the Official Languages Committee concerning proposed regulations. Debates on the situation in Gaza and the future of Canadian news media were continued, as was an inquiry on the vital role of immigrants. The Fisheries and Oceans Committee was authorized to hold in camera meetings, and an inquiry on the 75th anniversary of the Korean War years was adjourned.
The Senate completed the second reading of Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, and referred it to committee.
On June 9, 2026, the Senate completed the second reading stage for Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month. This procedural step involved a speech by the sponsor, Senator Paulette Senior. Following this, the bill was referred to a committee for further consideration. The bill had its first reading on May 26, 2026.
During a Senate sitting on June 9, 2026, tributes were paid to a retiring senator, routine proceedings and question period occurred, and the Caribbean Heritage Month Bill advanced to committee after its second reading.
On June 9, 2026, the Senate convened for a sitting that included tributes to Senator Donna Dasko, who was retiring. The Senate also dealt with routine proceedings, including the presentation of committee reports and the first reading of several bills. Question Period covered a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, Indigenous rights, and the economy. The Senate then proceeded to Orders of the Day, where several bills were at various stages, including the Caribbean Heritage Month Bill (Bill S-248), which completed its second reading and was referred to committee. Debates also continued on other inquiries and motions, and committees were authorized to study specific matters or extend their reporting dates. The sitting concluded after the consideration of various items on the Order Paper.
During the Senate's second reading debate on Bill S-248, Senator Paulette Senior delivered a speech highlighting the historical and ongoing contributions of Canadians of Caribbean descent, advocating for the designation of July as Caribbean Heritage Month.
This artifact is a record of a debate in the Senate of Canada on June 9, 2026, regarding Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month. The debate focused on the sponsor's speech, which was delivered by Senator Paulette Senior. Senator Senior spoke about the history and contributions of Canadians of Caribbean descent, emphasizing their resilience and impact on Canadian society, culture, and economy. She highlighted historical connections between Canada and the Caribbean, the waves of Caribbean immigration, and the achievements of prominent Canadians of Caribbean heritage in various fields. The debate also included a speech by Senator Leo Housakos, who supported the bill and proposed expeditious passage. The bill was subsequently referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, is currently at the Senate committee stage with no activity reported, following its referral and second reading.
The Senate committee is currently considering Bill S-248, which is about establishing Caribbean Heritage Month. The artifact indicates there has been no activity in the committee stage itself, but notes that the bill was referred to committee on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after its second reading. The bill had its first reading on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. A speech by Senator Paulette Senior at the second reading is also noted.
Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet reached the Senate Report stage, having been referred to committee after second reading on June 9, 2026.
The Senate Report stage for Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet been reached. The bill was referred to committee on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after its second reading on the same day. A sponsor's speech was given by Senator Paulette Senior.
Bill S-248, concerning Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet reached the Senate's Third Reading stage, having been referred to committee after its second reading.
The artifact indicates that Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet reached the Senate's Third Reading stage. The bill was referred to a committee on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after its first reading on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and its second reading on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. A major speech by Senator Paulette Senior was delivered during the second reading.
Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has reached the 'House of Commons First reading' stage, but this step has not yet occurred; the bill is currently under committee consideration in the Senate.
This artifact indicates that Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has reached the 'House of Commons First reading' stage. However, the 'Stage state' is listed as 'Not reached', meaning this procedural step has not yet occurred for this bill in the House of Commons. The bill's current status is 'At consideration in committee in the Senate'. The artifact notes that First reading in the House of Commons was scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and Second reading in the Senate occurred on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, with a speech by Senator Paulette Senior.
Bill S-248, an Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has completed second reading in the House of Commons and has been referred to a committee in the Senate.
This artifact describes the status of Bill S-248, concerning Caribbean Heritage Month. The bill has passed second reading in the House of Commons and was referred to a committee in the Senate. The provided text indicates that the 'House of Commons Second reading' stage has been reached, and includes information about the sponsor's speech at that stage.
Bill S-248, respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet been considered by a committee in the House of Commons, although it has progressed through readings and committee referral in the Senate.
This record indicates that Bill S-248, concerning Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet reached the 'Consideration in committee' stage in the House of Commons. The bill was referred to a committee in the Senate on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after its first reading on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and its second reading on the same day it was referred to committee (June 9, 2026, Sitting 80). A speech by Senator Paulette Senior at the second reading in the Senate is noted.
This record indicates that Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons, with its most recent activity being a referral to a Senate committee.
This artifact describes the status of Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, in the Canadian Parliament. While the bill is currently at the committee stage in the Senate, this specific record pertains to its procedural status in the House of Commons, specifically the 'House of Commons Report stage'. However, the text explicitly states that this stage has 'Not reached'. The latest recorded activity for the bill was its referral to a Senate committee on June 9, 2026. The artifact also notes the dates for its first and second readings in the Senate and mentions a sponsor's speech by Senator Paulette Senior on June 9, 2026.
Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month, is currently at the Third reading stage in the House of Commons, though this stage has not yet been reached, with its latest activity being a referral to committee in the Senate.
This artifact describes the procedural status of Bill S-248, An Act respecting Caribbean Heritage Month. The bill has reached the Third reading stage in the House of Commons, but this specific stage has not yet been reached. The bill's most recent activity was its referral to a committee in the Senate on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The bill had its First reading on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and its Second reading on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, during Sitting 80. A speech by Senator Paulette Senior, the sponsor, was given at the Second reading.
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