C-289An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identity verification)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on June 16, 2022
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Creates a Criminal Code offence for knowingly giving false identity-verification information to certain anti-money-laundering reporting entities.
What it does
- Creates an offence for knowingly making a false or misleading statement, or giving false or misleading information by omission, to a person or entity that must verify identity under the anti-money laundering law.
- Covers false or misleading information about a person or entity’s identity, including its ownership, control, or structure.
- Sets penalties of up to $1,000,000 or 10 years in prison on indictment, or up to $10,000 or two years less a day on summary conviction.
Who it affects
- Banks and other reporting entities
- People and companies being identified
- Businesses covered by anti-money laundering rules
Background
The bill adds a new identity verification offence to the Criminal Code. It applies to false or misleading information given to certain people or entities listed under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-289, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (identity verification)
Vote 270,
Failed
149 yeato171 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 270 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay2 broke ranks 2 147 8 Conservative Yea 114 0 1 Bloc Yea 29 0 3 NDP Nay 0 24 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 149 171
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalKevin Lamoureux· October 19, 2022
“As I indicated to the member in my question, I appreciate the manner in which the member has presented his private member's bill and his openness to hearing what other members have to say on what is a very important issue. Money laundering and the false information that is out there have very significant impacts and ramifications, not only here in Canada but around the world.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeAdam Chambers· October 19, 2022
“This bill is a simple addition, an amendment to the Criminal Code, to make it a criminal offence to provide false or misleading statements to a reporting entity about the identity of the account holder or the corporate structure and beneficial ownership of the ultimate account holder.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· October 19, 2022
“This is a flaw that Bill C-289 will correct. It will not fix everything, of course, but it is another step in the right direction to better uncover money laundering activities.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPRandall Garrison· October 19, 2022
“I am not questioning the motives of the member for Simcoe North, but I worry that the impact of putting forward such a narrow bill as Bill C-289 only makes it appear like the House of Commons, particularly the Conservatives, want to crack down on money laundering, when in fact this bill would make little or no contribution to the actual fight against money laundering.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill defeated. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.