Below, we have compiled a list of those bills which progressed through the House during the emergency sessions of March 19 and March 25. As of now, the House stands adjourned until Tuesday, April 14. Additionally, all committee meetings have been cancelled until further notice.
Sitting dates: March 19 & 25 42nd Parliament, 1st Session
Bill 181, Supply Act, 2020 Royal assent (March 19)
Bill 186, Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020 First reading (March 19) Second reading, carried (March 19) Third reading, carried (March 19) Royal Assent (March 19)
Bill 187, Municipal Emergency Act, 2020 First reading (March 19) Second reading, carried (March 19) Third reading, carried (March 19) Royal assent (March 19)
Bill 188, Economic and Fiscal Update Act, 2020 First Reading (March 25) Second Reading, carried (March 25) Third Reading, carried (March 25) Royal Assent (March 25)
As some of you may know, the Great Library has been reporting on the legislative activity of Ontario public bills in our new blog series “House of Bills”. Though we don’t cover the federal side of things, here are a few tips for using LEGISinfo to keep track of federal bills as they move through the House of Commons and the Senate.
On the home page of LEGISinfo, you’ll notice that there are a few filter options near the top of the page. For the purposes of tracking the most recent activity of bills, we will be using the “Latest Activity Date” and “Show Details” filters shown below:
By clicking on the “Latest Activity Date”, the bills with the most recent activity are pulled to the top of the page in descending order.
Now that we’ve manipulated the list to show the bills with the most recent activity first, we can use the “Show Details” filter to reveal more information concerning the activity of each bill. Once expanded, we can now see the last stage the bill has completed under the “Last stage Complete” section and by the bar graph in the top right corner (shown below):
It’s important to note that the data contained in this section reflects the latest stage that the bill has completed, and not necessarily the stage the bill is currently being considered under. For instance, though the entry shown above for Bill C-6 only mentions the first reading, the bill is currently being considered for second reading. If you click the “View Complete Bill Details” link, you will be taken to a page that shows that Bill C-6 sat for second reading on February 24, though it has not yet completed the second reading stage.
For another tool that shows you the latest stage a bill has reached and not necessarily completed, select the “Legislative at a Glance” option located on the left-hand side of the LEGISinfo home page. “Legislation at a Glance” provides an overview of bills under consideration in either the Senate or the House of Commons
The Smarter and Stronger Justice Act, 2019 (Bill 161) was introduced late last year by Attorney General Doug Downey. The stated aim of this ambitious 80-page package of reforms is to simplify Ontario’s complex and outdated justice system. If passed, the bill will make changes, large and small, to over 20 acts impacting the courts, legal aid, legal practice and regulation.
Here are a few key Bill 161 amendments:
Class Proceedings Act (Schedule 4)
introduces a more rigorous certification test, new provisions for approval of third-party funding, coordination of multi-jurisdictional actions, administrative dismissal of dormant proceedings, and procedural changes relating to appeals, carriage motions and settlement and counsel fee approvals
Commissioners for the Taking of Affidavits Act (Schedule 5)
allows for virtual (remote) commissioning of documents
Estates Act (Schedule 9)
introduces a simplified probate process for small estates
Law Society Act (Schedule 14)
grants the Law Society of Ontario the authority to regulate firms, in addition to regulating lawyers and paralegals individually
Notaries Act (Schedule 19)
allows paralegals to be appointed as notaries
A complete summary of amendments can be found in the Explanatory Note to Bill 161.
Legal organizations, academics and practitioners have already responded to various aspects of the bill. See for example:
Since Bill 161 received first reading on December 9, 2019, just days before the Legislature adjourned for its winter break, it has thus far not been debated in the House or Committee. But MPPs return to work today, so stay tuned.
Know How, the blog of the Great Library 