Parliamentary notices: private bills, electors, royal assent

Summary#

This Canada Gazette notice lists parliamentary items published on November 23, 2024, including a House of Commons reminder about private-bill notices, a publication by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer about the number of electors (published as Extra Vol. 158, No. 9 on November 15, 2024), and a record that several bills received Royal Assent on November 7, 2024. The bills that received assent include An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair), An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability), An Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, and An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation.

What it does#

• Notes that Standing Order 130 (about notices of intended applications for private bills) was previously published on November 20, 2021, and gives a contact for the Private Members’ Business Office in the House of Commons.
• Records that the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer published a Determination of number of electors notice as Extra Vol. 158, No. 9 on November 15, 2024.
• States that Royal Assent was signified by written declaration on November 7, 2024 for these acts:
  • An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair) (Bill C‑244, chapter 26, 2024)
  • An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability) (Bill C‑294, chapter 27, 2024)
  • An Act to establish a national strategy for eye care (Bill C‑284, chapter 28, 2024)
  • An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation (Bill S‑16, chapter 29, 2024)

Who's affected#

• People or organizations preparing private bills and Members of Parliament who use the Private Members’ Business Office for notices.
• Voters and election administrators: the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer’s elector counts inform election planning and administration.
• Users and businesses involved with copyrighted devices and software:
  • Those affected by An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance and repair) (for repair rights).
  • Those affected by An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability) (for device and software compatibility).
• People who need eye care and health providers: changes from An Act to establish a national strategy for eye care could affect services and planning.
• The Haida Nation and related governments and organizations: An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation formally recognizes those bodies.

Why it matters#

• The Royal Assent entries show these bills have completed the parliamentary process and were formally approved on November 7, 2024, which is a key step before their measures take effect (timing of any practical changes depends on the text of each act).
• The copyright amendments may make it easier to repair devices and make different technologies work together, which could lower repair costs and affect manufacturers and consumers.
• A national strategy for eye care could change how eye health services are organized or funded across Canada, affecting access to care.
• Recognition of the Haida Nation is a formal political and legal acknowledgment that can affect Indigenous relations and local governance.
• The elector determination is a technical but important step for fair and orderly elections; it affects how Elections Canada plans and runs future votes.