S-206An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors)
Senate public bill, introduced in the Senate on November 24, 2021
- Status
- Became law on October 18, 2022 · S.C. 2022, c. 12
- Sponsor
- Pierre-Hugues BoisvenuSenator
- Senator
What it does
Allows jurors and some people who support them to share jury information with health care professionals for treatment, therapy, or counselling after a trial.
What it does
- Keeps it an offence for jurors and people who support a juror with a disability to disclose jury information that was not said in open court.
- Adds an exception that allows that information to be shared with a health care professional for medical or psychiatric treatment, therapy, or counselling after the trial.
- Limits that health care exception to professionals who are allowed to practise under provincial law.
- Keeps other exceptions for investigations and criminal proceedings about an alleged offence under section 139(2).
Who it affects
- Jurors
- People who support jurors with disabilities
- Health care professionals
- People seeking post-trial treatment
Topics
Background
Section 649 of the Criminal Code currently bans disclosure of jury proceedings outside the courtroom. This bill replaces that section and adds a new exception for certain health-related disclosure.
Where it is
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Skipped. Skipped
Third reading
Completed.
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by a senator. If the Senate passes it, it goes to the House of Commons, where an MP must agree to sponsor it. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
3rd reading and adoption of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors)
Vote 177,
Passed
323 yeato0 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 177 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 151 0 7 Conservative Yea 114 0 4 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 323 0 2nd reading of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors)
Vote 97,
Passed
318 yeato0 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 97 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 148 0 11 Conservative Yea 112 0 7 Bloc Yea 30 0 2 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 318 0
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· May 12, 2022
“I also want to acknowledge the work of my friend from St. Albert—Edmonton and his persistence in bringing forward Bill S-206, an act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors).”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeMichael Cooper· May 12, 2022
“, seconded by the member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, moved that Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (disclosure of information by jurors), be read the second time and referred to a committee. He said: Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise to speak on Bill S-206, an act to amend the Criminal Code.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRhéal Fortin· May 12, 2022
“Bill S-206 proposes a change to the existing rules regarding the confidentiality of deliberations between members of a jury who have to decide the fate of an accused person. The rule about the confidentiality of jury proceedings is set out in section 649 of the Criminal Code and is also called “Lord Mansfield's rule”.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlistair MacGregor· May 12, 2022
“It gives me great pleasure to stand in the House today to speak to Bill S-206. I want to acknowledge that I am doing so in the midst of Canadian Jury Duty Appreciation Week, which runs from May 8 until May 14.”
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.