C-14Preserving Provincial Representation in the House of Commons Act
An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (electoral representation)
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on March 24, 2022
- Status
- Became law on June 23, 2022 · S.C. 2022, c. 6
What it does
Changes the Constitution Act, 1867 so no province can have fewer House of Commons seats than it had in the 43rd Parliament.
What it does
- Amends section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 so, when House of Commons seats are readjusted after each decennial census, no province gets fewer members than it had in the 43rd Parliament.
- Applies that rule to the readjustment of electoral boundaries after the 2021 decennial census through transitional measures under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act.
Who it affects
- Provincial representation in the House of Commons
- Electoral boundary readjustments
- Members of Parliament
- Provincial voters
Background
The bill was introduced on 24 March 2022 and received first reading in the House of Commons. It amends section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 and includes transitional measures for the 2021 census readjustment.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Skipped. Skipped
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by a cabinet minister on behalf of the government. Government bills get set time for debate, so they are the most likely to become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
Time allocation for Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (electoral representation)
Vote 95,
Passed
178 yeato144 nay
Party breakdown for vote 95 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 153 0 6 Conservative Nay 0 111 8 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Split evenly 1 1 0 Independent Nay 0 1 0 Total 178 144
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalDominic LeBlanc· April 7, 2022
“I am pleased to speak in the House today to begin the debate at second reading of Bill C-14. Following the decennial census, the Chief Electoral Officer calculates the number of House of Commons seats allocated to each province using the formula specified in Canada's Constitution.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeTom Kmiec· April 7, 2022
“I note that the substance and principle of that idea is inside the Bill C-14 legislation that has been moved. I like to tell constituents back home, as well as my colleagues, that all unanimous consent motions have an impact, whether they are agreed to or not.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocAlain Therrien· April 7, 2022
“With regard to the NDP’s help, Quebec tried in 2011 and elected 59 NDP members. Today there is only one left, and that is enough.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlexandre Boulerice· April 7, 2022
“I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak to Bill C‑14 in the House today. I take pride in it because of the negotiations that the NDP, my party, conducted with the Liberal minority government.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenMike Morrice· May 16, 2022
“I am glad and honoured to offer comments on Bill C-14, an act to amend the Constitution Act with respect to electoral representation. I will start by talking a bit about what is in the bill, followed by what I am disappointed to see is not in it.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.