C-228An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (prior review of treaties by Parliament)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on September 18, 2025
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Requires treaties to be tabled in the House of Commons before ratification or modification, with extra review and publication rules for major treaties.
What it does
- Requires the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table most treaties in the House of Commons at least 21 sitting days before ratification, along with a memorandum explaining the treaty's content and effects.
- Requires the treaty being amended to be tabled too when a new treaty changes an existing one.
- Requires treaty modifications to be tabled at least 21 sitting days before they are agreed to, with the treaty being modified, a memorandum, and a letter explaining the modification.
- Requires the explanatory memorandum and letter to include specific details, such as the treaty's title, obligations, spending, consultations, and any laws that must be enacted or amended.
- Defines a "major treaty" as one that needs new laws, taxes, federal powers, financial obligations, territorial changes, sanctions, jurisdiction changes, trade or investment rules, or participation in international institutions, and requires House of Commons review before ratification.
- Allows the Governor in Council to exempt the Minister in exceptional circumstances, but requires later tabling of the documents and reasons, and publication of the treaty in the Canada Gazette, on the department website, and in the Canada Treaty Series.
Who it affects
- Minister of Foreign Affairs
- House of Commons
- Parliamentary committees
- Governor in Council
- Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Background
The bill amends the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to add new rules for tabling treaty documents in Parliament.
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-228, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (prior review of treaties by Parliament)
Vote 61,
Failed
32 yeato302 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 61 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 167 3 Conservative Nay2 broke ranks 2 135 5 Bloc Yea 22 0 0 NDP Yea 7 0 0 Green Yea 1 0 0 Total 32 302
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalMona Fortier· October 21, 2025
“The debate on this bill touches on fundamental principles of our democracy and our constitutional framework. In a global context marked by geopolitical uncertainty, it is essential to ensure that Canada's treaty-making system reflects today's reality.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeMichael Chong· October 21, 2025
“It is important to start with that description of what we in Canada call a treaty before we go on to a discussion of the bill. When I look at Bill C-228, I note that it further defines a treaty as an amendment to a treaty.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocMario Simard· September 18, 2025
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-228, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (prior review of treaties by Parliament). Today, the Bloc Québécois is keeping a promise by introducing a bill to enable Parliament to not only review but also vote on the text of trade agreements before the Government of Canada ratifies them.”
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 14, 2026.