Recent Library of Parliament Legislative Summaries

The Library of Parliament has prepared legislative summaries for the following federal bills now before the House of Commons in Ottawa:

• Bill C-3: An Act to amend the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act: "The bill is identical to an earlier Bill C-3, which was introduced on 3 December 2008, during the 1st Session of the 40th Parliament, and died on the Order Paper when Parliament was prorogued the following day. It consists of an amendment to the definition of 'arctic waters' in the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act to extend the geographic application of the Act from 100 to 200 nautical miles offshore Canadian land north of the 60th parallel of north latitude. "
• Bill C-4: Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act: "The NPCA provides for the phased repeal of the Canada Corporations Act (CCA), while in particular replacing Part II of the statute that governs federally incorporated non-profit corporations (NPCs or corporations). Certain provisions are designed to apply to entities currently subject to Part III of the CCA, which governs corporations without share capital incorporated by a special Act of Parliament. The NPCA also provides for the continuance of certain corporations with share capital that are currently subject to part IV of the CCA under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) ... ndustry Canada news releases concerning the NPCA have stated that the proposed legislation is intended to make it easier for non-profit corporations to take advantage of the protections afforded by incorporation and the predictability and accountability offered by a modern corporate governance framework. They also state that the bill’s primary purposes are to modernize and improve corporate governance in NPCs, eliminate unnecessary regulation, and offer flexibility to meet the needs of the non-profit sector."
• Bill C-5: An Act to amend the Indian Oil and Gas Act: "The Indian Oil and Gas Act and Indian Oil and Gas Regulations, 1995 provide the legislative framework for the management of oil and gas on First Nation lands. Introduced in 1974, the Indian Oil and Gas Act has remained largely unchanged since that time."
• Bill C-8: Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act: "The bill addresses issues relating to family real property on reserves by providing that a First Nation has the power to enact laws relating to'the use, occupation and possession of family homes on its reserves and the division of the value of any interests or rights held by spouses or common-law partners in or to structures and lands on its reserves' (clause 7(1)). Where a First Nation does not have such laws in force, whether established under the bill, under the First Nations Land Management Act, or under a self-government agreement, provisional federal rules established in the bill will apply."
• Bill C-9: An Act to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992: "The proposed amendments aim to enhance security and safety during the transport of dangerous goods. As amended by Bill C-9, the Act would remain focused on the prevention of incidents during the offering for transport, handling, transporting and importing of dangerous goods. According to information provided by Transport Canada, it would also enable a prevention program and a response capability for the Government of Canada in the event of a security incident involving dangerous goods."
• Bill C-11: Human Pathogens and Toxins Act: "The intent of the bill is to promote safety and security with respect to human pathogens and toxins, including listed micro-organisms, nucleic acids, proteins, or toxins, by requiring everyone who conducts activities involving these human pathogens or toxins to take all reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of the public. Departmental background information provided for Bill C-11 defines human pathogens as micro-organisms capable of causing disease in humans, such as salmonella and influenza. Toxins can be produced by or derived from such micro-organisms and these too are capable of causing disease in humans."