Pandemic Observance Day and Reconciliation Council

Summary#

This Canada Gazette notice records that two bills received Royal Assent on April 30, 2024, making them Acts: An Act respecting Pandemic Observance Day and An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation. The item also refers to a previous publication about Standing Order 130 on private bills and gives a Parliament contact for private members’ business.

What it does#

• Notes that Standing Order 130 (about notices for private bills) was published in the Canada Gazette on November 20, 2021, and lists the Private Members’ Business Office as a contact (office location and phone number appear in the notice).
• Records that the Governor General signified assent by written declaration on April 30, 2024 to:
  • An Act respecting Pandemic Observance Day (Bill S‑209, chapter 7, 2024), and
  • An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation (Bill C‑29, chapter 8, 2024).
• Says the Senate and the House of Commons were notified of the written declaration on April 30, 2024.
• Quotes the Royal Assent Act, S.C. 2002, c. 15, which explains how a written declaration of assent is treated for notification purposes.

Who's affected#

• People and groups involved in pandemic remembrance or memorial activities may notice the new Pandemic Observance Day.
• Indigenous communities, reconciliation organizations, and federal bodies that work on reconciliation could be affected by the creation of a national council for reconciliation.
• Members and staff of Parliament dealing with private members’ business and the formal notification process.
• The Gazette entry itself does not include the text, rules, timelines, or funding details for either Act, so it’s not clear yet exactly how these groups will be affected in practice.

Why it matters#

• Royal Assent on April 30, 2024 means these bills became Acts and could lead to an official day of remembrance and a new federal body for reconciliation.
• Those developments could shape future ceremonies, public education, funding decisions, or government-reconciliation work—but the Gazette notice does not give implementation details, dates for rollout, or budgets.