C-5An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on December 7, 2021
- Status
- Became law on November 17, 2022 · S.C. 2022, c. 15
What it does
Bill C-5 would repeal some mandatory minimum penalties, allow more conditional sentences, and create diversion measures for simple drug possession.
What it does
- Repeals certain mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
- Allows greater use of conditional sentences, which are sentences served in the community under court conditions.
- Establishes diversion measures for simple drug possession offences.
Who it affects
- People charged with certain offences
- People convicted of drug offences
- People accused of simple drug possession
- Judges and courts
Topics
Background
The Minister of Justice introduced the bill in the House of Commons on 7 December 2021, and it received first reading.
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
Completed.
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
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Vote 155,
Passed
206 yeato117 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 155 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 151 0 8 Conservative Nay 0 116 3 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 22 0 3 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Nay 0 1 0 Total 206 117 Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (recommittal to a committee)
Vote 154,
Failed
117 yeato209 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 154 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 151 8 Conservative Yea 116 0 3 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Nay 0 25 0 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 117 209 Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Vote 148,
Passed
210 yeato116 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 148 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 155 0 4 Conservative Nay 0 115 4 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 22 0 3 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Nay 0 1 0 Total 210 116 Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (report stage amendment)
Vote 147,
Failed
114 yeato212 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 147 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 154 5 Conservative Yea 113 0 6 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Nay 0 25 0 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 114 212 Time allocation for Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Vote 142,
Passed
170 yeato140 nay · 12 paired
Party breakdown for vote 142 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 146 0 13 Conservative Nay 0 108 11 Bloc Nay 0 30 2 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Split evenly 1 1 0 Independent Nay 0 1 0 Total 170 140 2nd reading of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Vote 53,
Passed
212 yeato118 nay
Party breakdown for vote 53 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 155 0 4 Conservative Nay 0 118 1 Bloc Yea 29 0 3 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 212 118 Time allocation for Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Vote 52,
Passed
183 yeato150 nay
Party breakdown for vote 52 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 156 0 3 Conservative Nay 0 117 2 Bloc Nay 0 32 0 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Split evenly 1 1 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 183 150
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalGary Anandasangaree· December 13, 2021
“I am delighted to join the House this morning to speak to Bill C-5, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. I want to acknowledge that we are gathered here on the traditional unceded lands of the Algonquin Anishinabe peoples.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeMichael Barrett· December 13, 2021
“They have very much reinforced this approach with Bill C-5. It would do nothing more than reduce punishments, and truly reduce accountability, for perpetrators of violent gun crimes and drug dealers.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· December 13, 2021
“If we want to be able to work effectively on this bill, all members of the House need an opportunity to speak to each of the aspects of the bill. We should be able to agree with one aspect and disagree with the other.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPRandall Garrison· December 13, 2021
“I am frankly surprised to be up on Bill C-5 so soon because its predecessor was not one of those bills which had been to hearings and it was not of those bills where we had lots of discussions about how to come to a consensus on what needed to be done. Normally, I would be glad to see the House moving quickly to get stuff done that sat on the back burner for far too long.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenMike Morrice· December 14, 2021
“By removing the mandatory minimum penalties included in this bill, I appreciate the government’s intent to address these injustices. That being said, we need to be honest with ourselves.”
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.