If you are not a policy expert, that is okay. This page explains the bill process in clear, simple steps so you can understand what passed, what failed, and what is still moving.
Switch between the federal Parliament process and the provincial legislature process.
Plain-language overview
A bill is just a proposal until it passes every required stage. At the federal level, that means the House of Commons, the Senate, and royal assent all matter.
A federal bill starts when the government, an MP, or in some cases the Senate introduces a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law.
The bill is formally introduced and printed. There is usually no real debate yet. This step mostly means: the bill now exists in Parliament.
MPs debate the main idea of the bill. If the House votes yes, the bill keeps moving. If the House votes no, the bill stops there.
A smaller group of MPs studies the bill in more detail. They can hear from experts, suggest changes, and send the bill back with amendments.
MPs debate the final version and vote again. A yes vote usually means the House of Commons has approved the bill.
The Senate studies the bill too. Senators can approve it, suggest changes, or delay it. If the Senate changes it, the House may need to look at it again.
Once both the House of Commons and the Senate agree on the bill, it receives royal assent. That is the step that turns it into law.
The official introduction of a bill. It is mostly procedural, not the main debate.
The stage where MPs debate the bill's core idea and decide whether it should move forward.
A smaller group of legislators that studies the bill more closely and can suggest changes.
The final House vote on the bill's text after study and amendments.
The federal upper chamber that must also review and approve most bills.
The final approval step that makes a passed bill become law.
It means Parliament has not finished with it yet. It may still be waiting for debate, committee work, another vote, Senate review, or royal assent.
No. At the federal level, the Senate still has a role, and the bill still needs royal assent before it becomes law.
A bill can fail because MPs vote it down, Parliament is dissolved, or it does not finish all of its stages in time.