Journals of the Senate

The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBoudreauBrazeauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGreenwoodHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLewisLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMartinMcBeanMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

AdlerAl ZaibakArnoldArnotAtaullahjanAucoinAudetteBattersBernardBlackBoehmBoudreauBrazeauBureyBussonCardozoCarignanClementCormierCoyleCuznerDalphondDaskoDeacon (Nova Scotia)Deacon (Ontario)DeanDhillonDowneDuncanForestFrancisFridhandlerGagnéGalvezGerbaGignacGreenwoodHarderHayHébertHenkelHousakosInceKaretak-LindellKingstonKlyneLaBoucane-BensonLewisLoffredaMacAdamMacDonaldManningMartinMcBeanMcNairMcPhedranMiville-DechêneMoncionMoodieMoreauMuggliOslerOudarPatePattersonPetitclercPettenPoirierProsperPupatelloQuinnRavaliaRinguetteRobinsonRossSaint-GermainSeniorSimonsSorensenSuretteTannasVaroneVernerWallinWells (Alberta)Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador)WhiteWilsonWooYouanceYussuff

The first list records senators present in the Senate Chamber during the course of the sitting.

An asterisk in the second list indicates a senator who, while not present during the sitting, was in attendance to business, as defined in subsections 8(2) and (3) of the Senators Attendance Policy.

PRAYERS

WRITTEN DECLARATION OF ROYAL ASSENT

At 2:01 p.m., the Honourable the Speaker informed the Senate that the following communication had been received:

RIDEAU HALL

June 17, 2026

Madam Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Louise Arbour, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 17^th day of June, 2026, at 10:39 a.m.

Yours sincerely,

The Honourable

The Speaker of the Senate

Ottawa

Schedule

Bills Assented To

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (Bill C-225, Chapter 12, 2026)

An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 (Bill C-32, Chapter 13, 2026)

An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 (Bill C-33, Chapter 14, 2026)

Senators’ Statements

Tributes

Tribute was paid to the Honourable Senator Busson, who will retire from the Senate on August 23, 2026.

Senators’ Statements

Some Honourable Senators made statements.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Tabling of Documents

The Honourable Senator LaBoucane-Benson tabled the following:

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-26, An Act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply, pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1187.

Charter Statement prepared by the Minister of Justice in relation to Bill C-30, An Act to implement certain provisions of the spring economic update tabled in Parliament on April 28, 2026, pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1188.

Presenting or Tabling Reports from Committees

The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador), Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, informed the Senate that, pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 24, 2025, the committee deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 17, 2026, its fifth report entitled Local News Matters: Rethinking CBC/Radio-Canada’s Role in a Changing Media Landscape.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1184S.

The Honourable Senator Wells (Newfoundland and Labrador) moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacDonald, that the report be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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The Honourable Senator Martin, Joint Chair of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, tabled the first report of the committee, entitled Medical assistance in Dying and Mental Disorder as the Sole Underlying Medical Condition: A Complex and Challenging Conversation among Canadians.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1189S.

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The Honourable Senator Arnot presented the following:

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has the honour to present its

ELEVENTH REPORT

Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-16, An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to criminal and correctional matters (child protection, gender-based violence, delays and other measures), has, in obedience to the order of reference of Monday, June 15, 2026, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment but with certain observations, which are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

Observations to the Eleventh Report of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (Bill C-16)

On June 15, 2026, the Senate adopted a government motion to refer Bill C-16 to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (the committee) after its adoption at second reading in the Senate. The motion required the committee to report the bill back to the Senate no later than June 17, 2026, at 4 p.m., failing which, the bill would be deemed to be reported without amendment. This motion followed another government motion authorizing the committee to examine the subject matter of Bill C-16, which was adopted on June 9, 2026.

Over the course of less than a week, as part of its pre-study and subsequent study of the referred bill, the committee held eight meetings (totalling over 15 hours) during which it heard from 58 witnesses, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on two separate occasions, Department of Justice officials, victims’ organizations, law enforcement officials, legal and other advocacy organizations, academic experts, and victims and survivors of intimate partner violence and coercive control. The committee extends its sincere gratitude to all witnesses who appeared on such short notice, and especially to the survivors who shared emotional and intense personal experiences of trauma, grief and resilience. The impact of these firsthand accounts cannot be overstated. In addition to the testimony heard, the committee has received over 25 briefs from interested parties with diverse perspectives, many of which have proposed amendments to the bill.

The committee as a whole offers the following observations for the government’s consideration:

Procedural Concerns

Bill C-16 is a long and complex criminal justice bill that introduces consequential reforms to several distinct areas of criminal law, including provisions related to murder — including hate-motivated murder — intimate partner violence, sexual assault, the sharing of intimate images without consent, mandatory minimum sentences, and court delays. The bill addresses matters of clear importance that call for timely action; at the same time, its significance demands that it be examined with due care. To that end, the time frame of less than one week imposed by the government for the study of the bill posed serious challenges. Despite the committee’s swift mobilization, many witnesses invited to speak on key areas of concern were unable to appear on short notice, and at least six briefs could not be translated on time for the committee’s review.

Nevertheless, given the bill’s potential impact on the lives and safety of many vulnerable Canadians, including victims and survivors of gender-based violence, sexual violence and intimate partner violence, the committee made the necessary accommodations to perform its legislative function to the fullest extent possible in the time permitted.

Victim Notification of Bail and Release Decisions

The committee heard testimony that the absence of a mandatory requirement to notify victims of bail decisions, release conditions, and related developments is a gap in the legislation. Witnesses, including the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime, the Canadian Police Association, and victims’ representatives, emphasized that timely awareness of such decisions is important for victim safety.

Accordingly, the committee recommends that the federal government, in collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal partners, consider mechanisms to promote more consistent, proactive, and accessible notification practices for victims. This could include approaches such as automatic enrolment in notification systems, with the option to opt out, to shift responsibility for notification from victims to government while respecting victims’ autonomy and trauma. The committee is of the view that victims must be informed of developments that may affect their safety and encourages the federal government to support implementation through appropriate resources and coordination with other levels of government.

Coercive Control

The committee has clearly heard that coercive control is a form of entrapment that may leave a person feeling controlled, manipulated, intimidated, isolated, vulnerable, and dangerously dependent. This kind of coercive relationship can happen to any member in a family unit, whether it be intimate partner relationships, or relationships between parents and their adult children or grandchildren. This committee recommends that Parliament consider studying the inclusion of seniors and people with physical and/or mental disabilities as vulnerable populations that can be affected by coercive control relationships. It is also important to note that coercive control is about the deliberate abuse of power and can impact anyone in a vulnerable care relationship that is independent of biological or familial relationships.

The committee observes that coercive control law reform will fail if victims and survivors cannot safely leave, find housing, access transportation, protect children, or receive timely support.

Social Supports for Victims and Survivors

The committee wishes to underline the observation that an increase in resources for social support services, especially in remote communities, is necessary to reduce instances of intimate partner violence, coercion and control. A significant increase in, and improved access to, community resources, including services in non-official languages, is necessary in order for victims and survivors to gain trust in law enforcement and withstand the challenges and uncertainties of criminal proceedings. This is particularly important for women, Indigenous, Black, and other racialized peoples.

The committee heard testimony from both academics and front-line workers that more robust funding is required for the agencies and service providers that keep women safe. There is an acute clarion need for better resourcing for victims and survivors. Funding safe and affordable housing, childcare, women’s services and daily needs will make it easier for women to leave abusive relationships. Organizations like community-based victims’ services and transitional houses save women’s lives.

Justice System Resourcing

The committee underlines a consistent theme that it heard from a wide variety of witnesses during its study on this bill: that increased resources are needed to address the growing trend of delays in criminal proceedings, and that the goal of this bill in attempting to reduce the frequency of judicial stays arising from unreasonable delay in the criminal justice system cannot be achieved without significant and strategic increases at both the federal and provincial levels. There is also a need for improved programs to track data to measure the successes and weaknesses of this bill’s measures relating to unreasonable delay.

Bill C-16 should not be treated as self-executing. Effective implementation requires filling judicial vacancies, creating more judge positions, hiring more Crown prosecutors, increasing courtroom resources and related support services, increasing funding for legal aid, developing digital evidence capacity, improving rapid response coordination, and ensuring comprehensive and sustained education and training programs for law enforcement officers and Crown prosecutors.

The Overrepresentation of Indigenous and Black Communities

The committee heard testimony that, in addition to legislating, other actions must be taken to counteract what was pointed out in the Gender-Based Analysis Plus for Bill C-16 regarding the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous peoples in the criminal justice system, both as accused and as victims. The committee wishes to highlight some of the recommendations heard from witnesses in this regard, particularly advocates for Indigenous and Black communities.

The committee heard that important criminal justice reforms must recognize systemic racism, the disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence, and the significant overlap and compounding risk of victimization and criminalization.

The committee heard that Indigenous law needs to be particularly and specifically articulated, consulted, and applied in Canadian legislation. As noted by a leading Indigenous lawyer in her brief, Bill C-16 lacks an Indigenous framework for implementation and oversight. She noted that the bill does not meaningfully engage Indigenous legal orders, diversion programs, restorative justice initiatives or Indigenous community-based responses to violence.

The committee heard a call for increased funding for Crown Witness Coordinators, who serve to bridge the cultural gap between the court system and Indigenous victims and witnesses in the North, so that there is more contact than three times per year when the court circuit goes to remote communities. The committee heard calls for mandatory nationwide intersectional anti-bias and cultural competency training for police forces and Crown prosecutors. It heard a need for dedicated funding for Black-led, culturally responsive organizations to manage restorative justice services and victim support frameworks.

In addition to the above list, the Indigenous Justice Strategy and the Black Justice Strategy offer tangible recommendations that have been created through thoughtful consultation and research. These strategies need to be incorporated into legislation, funded, and implemented.

Monitoring and Review

The committee encourages the Minister of Justice to review the amendments to the Criminal Code proposed by Bill C-16 within five years of the coming into force of its final measures, and in consultation with victims and survivors, gender-based violence advocates, Indigenous organizations and other legal system actors, to determine its effectiveness in protecting victims from harm while avoiding the criminalization of victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.

The committee encourages the Minister of Justice to monitor implementation of the provisions described as addressing femicide, including through the collection of disaggregated data, and to consult with gender-based violence advocates on future legislative amendments if these provisions are applied in a manner that criminalizes victims of intimate partner violence or fails to meaningfully recognize femicide.

Parliament should seek annual reporting from federal, provincial, and territorial authorities on coercive control charges, prosecutions, convictions, withdrawals, stays, victim demographics, accused demographics, and regional variation.

Given the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s concerns, Parliament should monitor whether Bill C-16’s delay provisions reduce trauma for complainants or weaken meaningful protections to ensure timely trials.

The majority of committee members support the following observations:

Mandatory Minimum Sentences

The committee notes that a sentencing regime that permits departure from a minimum sentence only where the sentence would amount to cruel and unusual punishment may still require judges to impose sentences that are disproportionate in the circumstances.

The committee encourages the Minister of Justice to review and consider future amendments, including permitting departure from mandatory minimum sentences disproportionate to the gravity of the offence or degree of responsibility of the individual, to strengthen the constitutionality of mandatory minimum sentences as well as their coherence with section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code and Canada’s commitments to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, as well as the government’s Black Justice Strategy.

Femicide and First-Degree Murder

The committee notes the concerns raised by witnesses that a provision described as addressing femicide, but that is not expressly gendered, could have adverse effects on victims and survivors of intimate partner violence who use lethal force to repel their abusers. The committee also notes that additional pathways to first-degree murder could increase pressure on some victims to plead guilty to second-degree murder, in addition to existing pressures to plead guilty to manslaughter.

Comprehensive Criminal Code Reform

The committee has reported in the past about how the Criminal Code has been amended in a piecemeal manner for many decades and has become cumbersome, sometimes repetitive or inconsistent, and is in need of comprehensive reform (see, for instance, the committee’s 2017 report Delaying Justice is Denying Justice at pages 41 to 43).

The committee notes the potential for the Law Commission of Canada to undertake a comprehensive review, which should include a study of all provisions in the Code that pertain to violence against women, in particular intimate partner violence — including those added via Bill C-16 — as well as a review of applicable sanctions in cases involving violence against women and the underlying values of such sanctions.

The committee urges the Government of Canada to work with provinces and territories to collectively take further, urgent action to address violence against women and to support victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on June 15, 2026, the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.)

Tabling of Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

The Honourable Senator MacDonald tabled the following:

Report of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, Congressional Visit, Washington, D.C., United States of America, March 17 to 19, 2026.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1190.

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The Honourable Senator Galvez tabled the following:

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, GLOBE COP27 Legislators Summit, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6 to 18, 2022.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1191.

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, 7th Gathering of ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, Santiago, Chile, from April 20 to 22, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1192.

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, 7th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and 15th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, Mexico City, Mexico, from September 27 to 29, 2023.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1193.

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, Bilateral Visit to Costa Rica and Dominican Republic, San José, Costa Rica and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from March 11 to 15, 2024.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1194.

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, 8th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and 16th Gathering of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, San José, Costa Rica, from October 23 to 25, 2024.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1195.

Report of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, Bilateral Mission, Guatemala City, Guatemala, from November 13 to 15, 2024.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1196.

Question Period

The Senate proceeded to Question Period.

Orders of the Day

Government Business

Bills – Third Reading

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Clement, seconded by the Honourable Senator Kingston, for the third reading of Bill S-6, A fourth Act to harmonize federal law with the civil law of Quebec and to amend certain Acts in order to ensure that each language version takes into account the common law and the civil law.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The bill was then read for the third time.

Ordered, That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed this bill, to which it desires its concurrence.

Reports of Committees – Other

Orders No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Motions

Order No. 1 was called and postponed until the next sitting.

Inquiries

Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

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Ordered, That the sitting be suspended to reassemble at the call of the chair, with a five-minute bell.

(Accordingly, at 3:33 p.m., the sitting was suspended.)

At 4 p.m., the sitting resumed.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

At 4 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted on June 16, 2026, the Senate was suspended during pleasure and resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the subject matter of Bill C-26, An Act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply, the Honourable Senator Cormier in the Chair.

—In the Committee—

Pursuant to the order adopted on June 16, 2026, the Honourable Gregor Robertson, P.C., M.P., Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, was escorted to a seat in the Senate Chamber.

Debate.

It was agreed that the chair report to the Senate that the witness had been heard.

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The sitting of the Senate resumed.

The Chair of the Committee stated that the Committee had examined the subject matter of Bill C-26, An Act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply, and had directed him to report the same to the Senate.

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

A message was brought from the House of Commons in the following words:

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

EXTRACT, —

That a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint their Honours that the House has concurred in the amendment made by the Senate to Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places).

ATTEST

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A message was brought from the House of Commons with Bill C-26, An Act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply, to which it desires the concurrence of the Senate.

The bill was read the first time.

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on June 16, 2026, the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading now.)

Second reading of Bill C-26, An Act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of improving housing supply.

The Honourable Senator McBean moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator MacAdam, that the bill be read for the second time.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.

The bill was then read for the second time.

(Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on June 16, 2026, the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.)

ADJOURNMENT

At 5:33 p.m., pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on June 11, 2026, the Senate adjourned until 1:30 p.m., tomorrow.

DOCUMENTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 14-1(7)

Fifth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, entitled Local News Matters: Rethinking CBC/Radio-Canada’s Role in a Changing Media Landscape, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 17, 2026, pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on September 24, 2025.—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1184S.

Report of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on activities in relation to the Conflict of Interest Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, pursuant to the Parliament of Canada Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-1, par. 90(1)(b).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1185.

Report of the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, pursuant to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, S.C. 2005, c. 46, sbs. 38(4).—Sessional Paper No. 1/45-1186.

Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 12-5

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy

The Honourable Senator McNair replaced the Honourable Senator McBean (June 17, 2026).

Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration

The Honourable Senator Arnold replaced the Honourable Senator Boehm (June 17, 2026).

The Honourable Senator Boehm replaced the Honourable Senator Mohamed (June 17, 2026).

Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

The Honourable Senator Dalphond replaced the Honourable Senator Dhillon (June 17, 2026).

The Honourable Senator Hébert replaced the Honourable Senator Oudar (June 17, 2026).