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House Bill

Bill C-316

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 22, 2023
Court Challenges Program Act
  • Bill C-316 is an amendment to the Department of Canadian Heritage Act that ensures the Court Challenges Program is maintained. This program was created in 1978 to help minority language communities assert their language rights. It was later expanded to include human rights as well. Over the years, the program has been cancelled and restored multiple times. This bill recognizes the importance of allowing Canadians to bring significant court cases to clarify and assert constitutional language and human rights. It aims to create an independently administered program that provides financial support to individuals for such cases, holding the government accountable. The bill also requires an annual report on the program's activities to be tabled in Parliament. The Court Challenges Program that has been administered by the University of Ottawa since 2019 is deemed to have been established under this amendment.
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  • RA
  • Yea (206)
  • Nay (111)
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SteelmanSpren in Favour

  • The Court Challenges Program is an important program that provides financial support to Canadians who wish to bring test cases of national significance to court in order to assert and clarify their constitutional and quasi-constitutional language rights and human rights. This program helps to ensure that all Canadians, particularly those from official language minority communities, have access to the courts to uphold their rights. By maintaining the Court Challenges Program, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is fulfilling their duty to support constitutional equality, linguistic rights, and human rights, as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The program serves as a crucial tool for holding the government accountable for upholding these rights and ensuring that they are properly interpreted and applied by the courts. The amendment to the Department of Canadian Heritage Act to establish an independently adminis

SteelmanSpren Against

  • Steelman argument opposing the amendment to the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program): While the intention of the Court Challenges Program is to provide financial support to Canadians for test cases related to constitutional rights, it could have unintended consequences. The program may lead to an increase in litigation and potentially strain the judicial system, as it allows individuals and groups to bring forward cases even if they lack the necessary resources. This could result in a backlog of cases and delays in the justice system. Furthermore, the allocation of funds through the Court Challenges Program may be subjective and politically motivated, as the decision on which cases receive financial support could be influenced by the government or specific interest groups. This could raise concerns about the impartiality and fairness of the program. Additionally, giving priority to test cases of national sig

House Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 02, 2024
Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC)
Re. Committee Evidence - CHPC-117
  • Thu May 02, 2024 03:34PM
  • Read
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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House Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 01, 2024
Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC)
Re. Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program)
  • Report 9 concurred in by the House
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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House Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 30, 2024
Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC)
Re. Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program)
  • Report 9 presented to the House
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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House Motion No. 451

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
Nov. 22, 2023, 3:15 p.m.
2nd reading of Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program)
  • Bill C-316
  • Latest: Second reading in the House of Commons
  • That the bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

House Third Reading
  • Nov. 22, 2023, 2 p.m.
  • In Progress
  • Read
House Second Reading
  • March 16, 2023, 10:20 a.m.
  • Passed
House First Reading
  • March 6, 2023, 3:30 p.m.
  • Passed