C-228 (45-1) - An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (prior review of treaties by Parliament)
Chamber
commons
Stage
2nd Reading
Introduced
Sep 18, 2025
Progress
This bill requires the government to table treaties in Parliament at least 21 days before ratifying them.
Key Changes
- Requires the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table treaties in the House of Commons at least 21 sitting days before ratification
- Requires a detailed explanatory memorandum with each tabled treaty, covering costs, obligations, consultations, and implementation needs
- Requires major treaties to be reviewed by a House of Commons committee before ratification
- Allows the Governor in Council to exempt the government from tabling requirements in exceptional circumstances, with mandatory after-the-fact disclosure
- Requires treaties to be published on the department's website within 7 days and in the Canada Gazette within 21 days of ratification
- Requires treaties to be published in the Canada Treaty Series within 3 months of ratification
Gotchas
- The bill applies only to the House of Commons and does not give the Senate a formal role in treaty review, which may limit the scope of parliamentary oversight.
- The 'exceptional circumstances' exemption allows the government to bypass the 21-day tabling requirement without a clear definition of what qualifies, leaving significant discretion to the Governor in Council.
- Parliament is only required to provide 'advice' on major treaties — the bill does not give Parliament a binding vote to approve or reject a treaty before ratification.
- The bill defines 'major treaty' broadly, which could capture a wide range of international agreements and significantly increase the workload of House of Commons committees.
- Changes made to a treaty between tabling and ratification must be explained publicly, but the bill does not require re-tabling if changes are made after the initial 21-day period.
Who's Affected
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the federal government
- Members of Parliament and House of Commons committees
- Canadians and organizations affected by international trade, investment, or other treaty obligations
- Foreign governments and international institutions entering agreements with Canada
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill applies only to the House of Commons and does not give the Senate a formal role in treaty review, which may limit the scope of parliamentary oversight.
- The 'exceptional circumstances' exemption allows the government to bypass the 21-day tabling requirement without a clear definition of what qualifies, leaving significant discretion to the Governor in Council.
- Parliament is only required to provide 'advice' on major treaties — the bill does not give Parliament a binding vote to approve or reject a treaty before ratification.
- The bill defines 'major treaty' broadly, which could capture a wide range of international agreements and significantly increase the workload of House of Commons committees.
- Changes made to a treaty between tabling and ratification must be explained publicly, but the bill does not require re-tabling if changes are made after the initial 21-day period.
Summary
Bill C-228 would change how Canada handles international treaties by requiring the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table treaties in the House of Commons at least 21 sitting days before they are ratified. Along with the treaty text, the government must provide a detailed explanatory memorandum covering the treaty's content, costs, obligations, and any consultations held. This gives Parliament a chance to review agreements before Canada is legally bound by them. For major treaties — those involving new laws, significant financial commitments, territorial changes, trade, or international institutions — Parliament goes further: a House of Commons committee must review the treaty and submit a report before ratification can proceed. This gives elected representatives a formal role in scrutinizing the most significant international agreements Canada enters into. The bill also requires treaties to be published on the department's website within 7 days of ratification, in the Canada Gazette within 21 days, and in the Canada Treaty Series within 3 months. The government can bypass the tabling requirement in exceptional circumstances, but must still table the documents afterward and explain why the exemption was used.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses
Recorded Votes
| Date | Description | Yeas | Nays | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 28, 2026 | 2nd reading of Bill C-228, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (prior review of treaties by Parliament) | 32 | 302 | Negatived |