GOVINFO: Canadian Parliamentary (Legislative) Publications

PUBLIC BILLS - deal with items that are in the national or public interest

• Government Bill

  • introduced and sponsored by a Minister in the House of Commons

  • may be introduced by the Senate as long as it does not have anything to do with the spending or raising of money, eg.  taxation

• Private Members' Bill

  • submitted by a Member of Parliament who is not a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary

PRIVATE BILLS - purpose is to confer special powers or benefits on individuals or groups of individuals, including corporations or to exempt these individuals or groups from the application of a Statute

• may not be introduced by a Minister

• petition is signed by the person(s) promoting it

• usually introduced in the Senate, rarely in House of Commons

HOUSE OF COMMONS BILLS

• Bills introduced by the House of Commons are numbered C- 

  • Public Bills

    • C-1 to C-200 = Government BillsGovernment Bills

    • C-201 to C-1000 = Private Members' Public Bills

• Private Bills

  • C-1001+

SENATE BILLS

• Bills introduced by the Senate are numbered S-

  • Public Bills

    • S-1 to S-200 = Government Bills

    • S-201 to S-1000 = Senators' Bills

  • Private Bills

    • S-1001+