This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.
Summary
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.
This enactment amends section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 to provide that, when the number of members of the House of Commons and the representation of the provinces in that House are readjusted on the completion of each decennial census, a province will not have fewer members assigned to it than were assigned during the 43rd Parliament. It also includes transitional measures providing for the application of that amendment to the readjustment of electoral boundaries under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act following the 2021 decennial census.
Elsewhere
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-14s:
This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-14 addresses the redistribution of seats in the House of Commons following the census, specifically aiming to update a grandfather clause to ensure that no province, particularly Quebec, loses seats in the upcoming redistribution. The bill seeks to maintain the current number of seats for each province, reflecting the seat count of the 43rd Parliament, while also considering population shifts and representation by population. It aims to balance the representation of different provinces and territories while avoiding constitutional changes.
Liberal
Supports Bill C-14: The member states that Bill C-14 isn't controversial and hopes it will pass, ensuring Quebec gets a guaranteed number of seats. He emphasizes the importance of the bill's quick passage to allow the commission in Quebec to finalize its draft and seek public input.
Population shifts necessitate change: The member highlights the need for the legislation due to population shifts in Canada, driven by factors like job opportunities, immigration, and people moving to different climates. These shifts necessitate adjustments to riding boundaries every 10 years through an independent mechanism.
Minimum seats for Quebec: The member emphasizes the primary reason for the legislation is to establish a floor, or minimum number of seats, for the province of Quebec. He also notes that this approach avoids the need for constitutional amendments requiring a 7/50 formula.
Independent commission: The member highlights that the commission responsible for recommending changes to electoral boundaries operates independently. This ensures that the process is free from political interference and accurately reflects population shifts based on census data.
Conservative
Supports Bill C-14: The member supports the bill, which extends the 1985 grandfather clause ensuring no province dips below its 1985 seat count. He views it as a necessary measure to prevent provinces from losing seats during electoral redistribution.
Under-representation concerns: Despite supporting the bill, the member acknowledges that British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario remain under-represented in the House of Commons. He suggests that a more balanced redistribution will be needed in the future to address the population growth in western Canada.
Representation by population: The member emphasizes the importance of representation by population, particularly for western Canada. He highlights that Alberta, despite its growth, still has a smaller proportion of seats in the House compared to its population.
NDP
Support for Bill C-14: The NDP supports the bill, seeing it as important to prevent further erosion of Quebec's representation in the House of Commons while broader debates about proportional representation continue. While not a perfect solution, it is considered the right decision given the urgency of the pending electoral distribution.
Representation considerations: The NDP recognizes that representation by population is not the sole determinant of representation in the Canadian electoral system, citing examples like provinces having a minimum number of seats based on Senate representation and the weighting of rural areas. They acknowledge the validity of different perspectives on representation and advocate for respectful dialogue to find compromises.
Call for humility: The NDP encourages members to approach debates on electoral principles with humility, acknowledging that various parties and individuals support different approaches depending on the context. The member uses the Conservative party's leadership vote as an example of how departures from strict representation by population, secret ballots and proportional representation can be acceptable in some contexts, but not others.
Preventing steps backwards: The NDP views Bill C-14 as a means to prevent further setbacks in representation while larger debates about representation, including those related to Indigenous peoples and Quebec, are ongoing. It aims to foster a more responsible conversation about representation in Canada and ensure that all voices are represented proportionally in the House of Commons.
Bloc
Protecting Quebec's representation: The Bloc is concerned about the consistent decline in Quebec's percentage of seats in the House of Commons, highlighting a historical trend from 36% in 1867 to a projected 22.5% with the new distribution. The Bloc fought against Quebec losing a seat, which would have dropped the total from 78 to 77, a situation not seen since 1966.
Quebec's distinct nationhood: The Bloc emphasizes Quebec's distinct nationhood based on its unique language, culture, economy, and history, which sets it apart from other provinces. They argue that Quebec's distinct characteristics should be recognized and respected within Canada.
Confederation of sovereign states: The Bloc envisions a future for Canada as a true confederation of sovereign states, where each province manages its own affairs and unites to manage economic relations and share a currency, rather than constantly emphasizing their differences.
Bill C-14 inadequate: Bill C-14 is viewed as a partial success or failure, depending on perspective. The Bloc believes the ideal solution would be to guarantee Quebec at least 25% of the seats in the House of Commons to ensure its long-term representation and protect its interests.
Green
Bill C-14 Necessary: The bill ensures Quebec does not lose seats during the current review of representation by population and aims to maintain relatively equal representation across the country.
More MPs not necessarily better: Adding more MPs may not improve representation and may dilute it. Expanding the member's office budget (MOB) based on population could be a more cost-effective and efficient way to serve constituents.
Fair voting is crucial: Proportional representation would ensure every vote counts, increasing voter turnout and leading to a more democratic system, which would improve representation more than simply adding more MPs.
