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, among other things, (a) establishes, as a replacement of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, an independent body, called the Public Complaints and Review Commission, to (i) review and investigate complaints concerning the conduct and level of service of Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency personnel, and (ii) conduct reviews of specified activities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency; (b) authorizes the Chairperson of the Public Complaints and Review Commission to recommend the initiation of disciplinary processes or the imposition of disciplinary measures in relation to individuals who have been the subject of complaints; (c) amends the Canada Border Services Agency Act to provide for the investigation of serious incidents involving officers and employees of the Canada Border Services Agency; (d) amends the English version of federal statutes and orders, regulations and other instruments to replace references to the “Force” with references to “RCMP”; and (e) makes consequential amendments to other Acts.
Similar bills
C-3 (43rd Parliament, 1st session)
An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act and the Canada Border Services Agency Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
C-98 (42nd Parliament, 1st session)
An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act and the Canada Border Services Agency Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
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-20s:
C-20 (2021)
An Act to amend the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador Additional Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments Act
C-20 (2020)Law
An Act respecting further COVID-19 measures
C-20 (2014)Law
Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act
Votes
June 11, 2024Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments
June 10, 2024Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments
June 10, 2024Failed Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments (report stage amendment)
June 4, 2024Passed Time allocation for Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments
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-20 aims to increase the accountability and transparency of Canadian law enforcement by establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC). The PCRC would replace the existing Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP and create an independent review body for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which currently lacks such oversight. The bill includes provisions for timelines for responding to complaints, data collection on race, public education, and addressing serious incidents involving the CBSA and RCMP.
Liberal
Supports the Public Complaints and Review Commission: The bill would create a new public complaints and review commission, providing new tools to ensure transparency and accountability for the RCMP and CBSA, ensuring Canadians are treated fairly and consistently.
Addressing systemic racism: The PCRC would collect and publish desegregated, race-based data on complainants in consultation with the RCMP and the CBSA in order to combat systemic racism and discrimination in the criminal justice system, as well as advance reconciliation with indigenous peoples.
CBSA accountability: The bill would create an independent review body for complaints concerning the CBSA, requiring the CBSA to conduct internal reviews of serious incidents and notify the PCRC and police.
Codified timelines: The RCMP and CBSA will have six months to respond to the PCRC's interim reports, and must respond to certain reviews and recommendations of the PCRC within 60 days.
Conservative
Support for Bill C-20: The Conservative Party supports the intent of Bill C-20, which seeks to establish the Public Complaints and Review Commission. Members emphasize the need for effective oversight of law enforcement agencies like the RCMP and CBSA.
Inadequate support: There is concern for the well-being of RCMP and CBSA officers and the need to ensure they are adequately supported with resources and policies, because overworked and demoralized officers may make mistakes.
Revolving door: The current bail system needs reform to prevent the 'revolving door' of crime, where individuals are repeatedly arrested and released. Members argue this affects police morale and community safety.
Concerns with Bill C-5: There is a concern with Bill C-5 which eliminates mandatory minimum sentences for serious firearm offences, and may allow criminals to serve house arrest in the same communities they have terrorized.
RCMP Commissioner oversight: The party is critical of the RCMP commissioner and questions whether Bill C-20 provides adequate oversight of the commissioner, referencing alleged political interference in the Nova Scotia mass shooting investigation.
Increase in violent crime: Members point to statistics showing a significant increase in violent crime, gang-related homicides, and sexual assaults since 2015, suggesting the government's current approach is not working.
Ineffective policies: The government's focus on tightening gun control for legal firearms owners is misplaced, and has ignored addressing the root causes of gun violence such as smuggled illegal guns.
Lack of consultation: There is concern about the lack of consultation with stakeholders, including indigenous communities and unions representing CBSA officers, during the drafting of the legislation.
NDP
General support, improvements needed: The NDP generally supports Bill C-20 as a step toward providing accountability and increasing public trust in the RCMP and CBSA, but recognizes that it falls short of meeting several important recommendations from the report "Systemic Racism in Policing in Canada."
Indigenous representation crucial: The NDP emphasizes the need for meaningful Indigenous participation in the commission, including Indigenous investigators and decision-makers, to address the systemic racism experienced by Indigenous peoples at the hands of the RCMP. They also raised concern that the bill as drafted leaves Indigenous representation to the government's discretion, rather than codifying it.
CBSA oversight long overdue: The NDP highlights that the CBSA is the only major law enforcement agency in Canada without an independent review mechanism for the bulk of its activity, resulting in unchecked powers and potential for abuse, especially towards refugees and people without status.
Address systemic racism: Members assert that systemic racism is deeply rooted within the foundations of the RCMP and CBSA, requiring more than just addressing individual "bad apples." The bill should be amended to address this systemic issue and ensure that it is no longer tolerated.
Bloc
Supports the bill: The Bloc Québécois supports Bill C-20 at second reading, because it gives citizens recourse against the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and would create an independent complaint process that is both necessary and good for the public.
Independent oversight needed: Allowing an organization to investigate itself never produces great results, so it is very important to have an external oversight body. The current internal handling of complaints means there is nowhere for complainants to turn if they are unsatisfied with the outcome of an investigation.
Systemic issues addressed: The union president would like the new commission to deal with misconduct on the part of managers, not just employees. If a complaint points to a systemic problem in the organization, the commission should address that problem rather than directing everything to the one person with whom the traveller interacted.
Resources are important: The government needs to ensure that customs officers have enough resources to do their job properly, and the border officers’ union should be involved in the process leading up to the passage of this bill.
Process accessibility concerns: Bill C-20 proposes a process that seems a bit long and complicated, and the committee will have to examine whether the process proposed by Bill C‑20 is adequate or if it should be revised. There is a good chance that most people would drop it before reaching the end of the process.
Green
Supports bill C-20: The MP for Saanich--Gulf Islands supports the bill because it establishes mechanisms for civilian complaints for the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency. While the RCMP has had a public complaints commission, it has been inadequate, and there is currently no single entity to handle complaints against the CBSA.
CBSA oversight needed: The MP raises concerns about the powers granted to individual CBSA officers and argues for a broader look at the agency's policies and practices. The MP gives examples of constituents who experienced significant difficulties dealing with the CBSA during COVID, including cases where spouses were separated at the border.
Concerns about CBSA practices: The MP wants the CBSA to focus on stopping the smuggling of guns and contraband drugs, rather than terrorizing racialized people. The CBSA has been known to prioritize deporting people whose citizenship is not quite right.
Amendments will be proposed: The MP will be presenting amendments to Bill C-20 to ensure it is as rigorous and fair as possible. They also emphasize the need to examine systemic racism within the RCMP and implement proactive anti-racism programs and training within both the RCMP and CBSA.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I suspect that if you were to canvass the House at this time, you might find unanimous consent to call it 1:30 p.m. so we can begin private members' hour.
Links & Sharing
Public Complaints and Review Commission ActGovernment Orders
I want to make a quick comment. It is funny how things can pass quickly in the House when we really want them to go quickly. I recognize the hon. member for Fredericton for making that comment a bit earlier.
