S-221 (45-1) - National Bird of Canada Act
Chamber
senate
Stage
2nd Reading
Introduced
May 28, 2025
Progress
This bill officially recognizes the Canada jay as Canada's national bird.
Key Changes
- Officially designates the Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) as the national bird of Canada
- Fills a symbolic gap, as Canada currently has no official national bird
- Adds the Canada jay to Canada's collection of national symbols through federal legislation
Gotchas
- The bill is purely symbolic and creates no legal obligations, spending, or enforcement mechanisms.
- The preamble acknowledges Indigenous names and history related to the Canada jay, but the bill itself does not include any formal Indigenous consultation or recognition provisions.
- The Canada jay was selected in part because it is not already an official symbol for any other jurisdiction, distinguishing it from birds like the common loon or snowy owl.
Who's Affected
- All Canadians, as this adds a new national symbol
- Indigenous communities, whose cultural history with the bird is acknowledged in the preamble
- Naturalists, birdwatchers, and ornithologists who supported this designation
- Tourism and national parks sectors, which may use the symbol for promotion
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill is purely symbolic and creates no legal obligations, spending, or enforcement mechanisms.
- The preamble acknowledges Indigenous names and history related to the Canada jay, but the bill itself does not include any formal Indigenous consultation or recognition provisions.
- The Canada jay was selected in part because it is not already an official symbol for any other jurisdiction, distinguishing it from birds like the common loon or snowy owl.
Summary
Bill S-221 is a short, symbolic piece of legislation that would make the Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) the official national bird of Canada. Currently, Canada is one of the few countries in the world — and the only G7 nation — without an officially recognized national bird, even though every Canadian province and territory has one. The Canada jay was chosen because it lives year-round across all ten provinces and three territories, thrives in cold climates, and has deep historical and cultural ties to Canada. It was known to Indigenous peoples by names including 'wîskicahk' in Cree, which likely evolved into the popular name 'whiskey jack.' The bill notes the bird is not endangered, not a nuisance species, and is not already a symbol for any other country, province, or state. The bill was introduced in the Senate on May 28, 2025 by Senator Ataullahjan. It is largely ceremonial in nature, creating no new programs, spending, or regulations — it simply adds the Canada jay to Canada's list of official national symbols.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses