Canada

House of CommonsSenate

House of Commons

Law-making

Data on parliament’s law-making role and activities

Legislative activity

Number of laws adopted by parliament, per year
21 (2022)
See historical data for this field.
Notes For some parliaments, data can not be presented on an annual basis, for example because parliamentary sessions run from April to March of the following year. In such cases, the period to which the data corresponds is specified here.
This represents the number of Acts of the Parliament of Canada by calendar year, including Public General Acts and Private Acts.
Total number of laws adopted by Parliament in the previous legislature
40 (2021)
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Number of laws adopted in the previous legislature that were initiated by parliament
(2021)
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Number of laws adopted in the previous legislature that were initiated by the government
32 (2021)
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Dates of the previous legislature
05.12.2019 to 15.08.2021
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Outcome when the two chambers cannot agree on a piece of draft legislation For bicameral parliaments: Outcome when the two chambers cannot agree on a piece of draft legislationNot applicable; The legislation cannot be adopted unless both chambers agree; The decision of the lower chamber will take effect after a certain deadline; The decision of the upper chamber will take effect after a certain deadline; Other (please specify) For bicameral parliaments: Outcome when the two chambers cannot agree on a piece of draft legislation
The legislation cannot be adopted unless both chambers agree
Source Legal documents that stipulate parliament's role.
A bill can become law only once the same text has been approved by both Houses of Parliament and has received royal assent.

Executive-legislative relations

Legislation adopted by parliament requires the assent of the Head of State In some countries, the Constitution foresees that legislation adopted by parliament must be signed into law by the Head of State. If so, the Head of State may, for example, have the power to veto the legislation, return it to parliament, or submit it to another body such as a constitutional court.
Yes
Source Legal documents that stipulate parliament's role.
Section 55 of the Constitution Act 1867, affirms that the Governor General can withhold Royal Assent, but convention dictates that a Governor General will always give assent to a bill which has passed both houses of Parliament.
Number of times the Head of State declined to give assent to legislation, per year
(2022)
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Consequences when the Head of State declines to give assent to legislation Consequences when the Head of State declines to give assent to legislation: Not applicable; No further action is taken. The legislation is rejected; The legislation is returned to Parliament for re-examination; The legislation is referred to the Constitutional/Supreme Court;The legislation is put to a referendum; Other (please specify)
Not applicable
Not applicable. The Head of State cannot decline to give assent to legislation adopted by parliament
No
Final decision when parliament and the Head of State do not agree Final decision when parliament and the Head of State do not agree: Not applicable; Parliament; Head of State; Constitutional/Supreme Court; Other (please specify)
Existence of a procedure to introduce emergency legislation
Click for historical data
See historical data for this field.
Not applicable. There is no procedure to introduce emergency legislation.
No