Bill C-29 (Historical)

National Council for Reconciliation Act

An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation

This bill is from the 44th Parliament, 1st session, which ended in January 2025.

Sponsor

Marc Miller Liberal

Status

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 provides for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation as an independent, non-political, permanent and Indigenous-led organization whose purpose is to advance reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples.

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-29s:

C-29 (2021) Law Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021

C-29 (2016) Law Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2

C-29 (2014) Law Appropriation Act No. 1, 2014-15

C-29 (2011) Law Appropriation Act No. 3, 2011-12

Votes

April 29, 2024 Passed Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation

March 20, 2024 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation

Dec. 1, 2022 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation

Nov. 29, 2022 Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation

Nov. 29, 2022 Passed Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation (report stage amendment)

Debate Summary

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-29 aims to establish a National Council for Reconciliation to monitor, evaluate, and report on Canada's progress on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, responding to several calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The council would be an independent, Indigenous-led organization responsible for identifying systemic injustices, promoting Indigenous languages, and ensuring accountability from the government. Amendments were made to the bill to ensure diverse representation on the board of directors and to clarify the council's duties.

Liberal

Establishing accountability: The Liberal party is committed to pursuing reconciliation and holding the government accountable for historical wrongs against Indigenous peoples. The national council for reconciliation would be an institutional mechanism to hold Canada accountable for meeting goals on the path toward reconciliation.
Indigenous-led council: Bill C-29 would establish a permanent, indigenous-led, independent council with a mandate to monitor and support reconciliation, including implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action. It would be driven by the active participation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, organizations and individuals.
Diversity and inclusion: Amendments have been made to ensure that the board of directors promotes diversity and inclusion. Additional voices have been added, including those from the territories, elders and, very importantly, survivors of residential schools and other discriminatory policies, and their descendants.
Annual reporting: The council would compile an annual report outlining the progress of reconciliation and offer recommendations for change. The government of the day would be required to respond to the report and outline its plans to advance reconciliation.

Conservative

Supports Bill C-29: The Conservatives see the bill as a step in the right direction. They believe there is agreement that past policies need correcting and compensating.
Focus on economic reconciliation: The Conservatives put forward a motion to amend Bill C-29 to incorporate the concept of economic reconciliation, but the other parties voted against it. They argue that without economic reconciliation, there is no reconciliation.
Amendments to improve the bill: The Conservatives brought forward amendments to strengthen Bill C-29, and 17 of the 19 amendments were passed at committee. These amendments aimed to address transparency, independence, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
Disappointment about CAP: The Conservatives are disappointed that the government did not accept the amendment to add a seat for the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, a national indigenous organization representing over 800,000 urban indigenous people.

NDP

Supports the bill: The NDP supports Bill C-29, highlighting it as a crucial step towards reconciliation, emphasizing the need for accountability and action. They stress the importance of centering survivors' voices and addressing ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous peoples.
Survivors must lead the way: The NDP insists that the voices of survivors, descendants, and elders must guide reconciliation efforts, not organizations or government bureaucrats. They emphasize that the legislation is a result of survivors courageously sharing their stories and seek to ensure their voices are not overshadowed.
Need for concrete action: While supporting the bill, the NDP stresses that monitoring alone is insufficient, urging the government to invest in concrete actions addressing the housing crisis, violence against Indigenous women, and resource extraction projects imposed without consent. They seek to overturn colonial policies hindering true reconciliation.
Council must be rights-based: The NDP emphasizes that the council's work on advancing reconciliation must be based on rights, and they highlight amendments they made to ensure advice from survivors, elders, and indigenous legal professionals are included. They also emphasize the importance of the council in addressing the violations of Indigenous rights, including housing, self-determination, and access to lands.

Bloc

Supports the bill's intent: The Bloc supports the bill's aim to address truth and reconciliation for indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, while emphasizing the need for respectful and inclusive dialogue.
Problems with 'reconciliation' term: Many indigenous people do not agree with the term "reconciliation", as it implies a pre-existing conciliation and relationship that did not exist and the term is not clearly defined.
Concerns about consultations: The Bloc expresses concern that consultations were limited and not representative of all indigenous communities, with some communities being unaware of the consultations or the bill itself.
Need for board independence: The Bloc emphasizes the importance of ensuring the board's autonomy and independence, with members eventually appointed by the transitional board rather than solely by the minister.

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National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 30th, 2022 / 5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, I believe if you seek it you will find unanimous consent to see the clock at 5:55, so we can start Private Members' Business.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 30th, 2022 / 5:45 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

Is it agreed?

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 30th, 2022 / 5:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

The House resumed from November 30 consideration of the motion that Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation, be read the third time and passed.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:15 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

It being 3:11 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at third reading stage of Bill C-29.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #230

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

I declare the motion carried.

(Bill read the third time and passed)

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle is rising.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Scheer Conservative Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Speaker, a colleague voted by the app, encountered some technical difficulties and could not log on in time to switch his vote. I am wondering if the House would allow, as we have done in the past for other members, for the hon. member for Foothills to change his vote. His intention was to vote in favour. If the House would grant consent for that change, this would be a unanimous vote in favour of the bill.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

Do we have unanimous consent of the House?

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

December 1st, 2022 / 3:25 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded division, Government Orders will be extended by 12 minutes.

We now have the Thursday question.