Royal Assent and Durham By-election

Summary#

This House of Commons section of the Canada Gazette (published April 6, 2024) reports several bills that received royal assent in late February and March 2024 and records the result of a March 4, 2024 by-election. It lists which Acts were assented to on February 29, 2024, March 19, 2024, and March 22, 2024, and shows that Jamil Jivani was declared elected for Durham with the return received March 20, 2024.

What it does#

• Notes that royal assent was signified by written declaration (as described under the Royal Assent Act) for the following bills:
  • February 29, 2024:
    • An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2 (Bill C-62, chapter 1, 2024)
    • An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada (Bill S-1001)
  • March 19, 2024:
    • An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada (Bill C-35, chapter 2, 2024)
    • An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine (Bill C-57, chapter 3, 2024)
  • March 22, 2024:
    • An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (Bill C-34, chapter 4, 2024)
    • An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (Bill C-67, chapter 5, 2024)
    • An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 (Bill C-68, chapter 6, 2024)
• Records an electoral return under the Canada Elections Act: the return of the member elected at the March 4, 2024 by-election in Durham was received on March 20, 2024, showing Jamil Jivani as the elected member. The return is signed by Stéphane Perrault, Chief Electoral Officer.
• Mentions that Standing Order 130 (about notices for intended private bills) was previously published and gives contact information for the Private Members’ Business Office, House of Commons.

Who's affected#

• People directly affected by the listed Acts:
  • Those concerned with medical assistance in dying and health providers (by the MAID amendment bill).
  • Families, child-care providers, and provincial/territorial governments (by the early learning and child care Act).
  • Canadian and Ukrainian businesses, exporters, and importers involved in cross‑border trade (by the Free Trade Agreement implementation Act).
  • Foreign investors and companies subject to investment review (by the Investment Canada Act amendment).
  • Anyone relying on federal program funding or government services (by the appropriation Acts for the fiscal years ending March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025).
• Residents of the Durham electoral district now have Jamil Jivani as their declared MP.
• Members of Parliament and people or groups pursuing private bills (because Standing Order 130 and the Private Members’ Business Office are referenced).

Why it matters#

• Royal assent entries tell you which federal measures moved from Parliament toward becoming official statutes. That can change rules on health care, child care, trade, and investment that affect real-life choices for families, businesses, and investors.
• The appropriation Acts authorize federal spending for specified fiscal years, which matters for government services and programs that depend on that funding.
• The by-election return confirms who represents residents of Durham in the House of Commons. That affects local representation and who constituents can contact about federal issues.
• The notice about Standing Order 130 is mainly relevant to people or groups seeking private bills or MPs managing that process.