Bill C-29

National Council for Reconciliation Act

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

Sponsor

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is, or will soon become, 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 an indigenous-led, independent, and permanent National Council for Reconciliation. The council would monitor, evaluate, conduct research, and report on the progress of reconciliation across all sectors of Canadian society and all levels of government. It is intended to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action 53 to 56 and ensure accountability for advancing reconciliation.

Liberal

Supports the bill's passage: Liberal members voiced strong support for Bill C-29, emphasizing its importance in advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. They urged all members of Parliament to support the bill's swift passage, highlighting that reconciliation is a Canadian issue that requires the involvement of all.
Bill addresses TRC calls: The Liberal party emphasized that Bill C-29 directly responds to calls to action 53, 54, 55, and 56 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. These calls to action focus on establishing a National Council for Reconciliation to monitor and report on progress toward reconciliation.
Collaborative development process: The Liberals highlighted the collaborative approach taken in developing Bill C-29, which involved extensive engagement with Indigenous leaders, communities, and organizations. They emphasized that the bill was developed with significant input and leadership from Indigenous peoples.
Council's independence: The Liberals stressed that the National Council for Reconciliation would be an independent, indigenous-led, and non-political body. While the government would provide initial funding, the council would operate independently, holding all levels of government accountable for progress on reconciliation.

Conservative

Supports Bill C-29: The Conservative Party supports Bill C-29, as the council would help achieve better goals for indigenous people. Amendments were introduced to make the bill stronger, particularly with regard to accountability, transparency and good governance.
Economic reconciliation needed: The Conservatives believe economic reconciliation is an important component of overall reconciliation, as it lifts up first nations and provides economic opportunities. They sought to include indigenous economic national organizations in the council to ensure economic reconciliation is addressed as a foundation for reconciliation.
Accountability and results: The council for reconciliation should serve as an accountability mechanism for the government to ensure it is getting meaningful results with the dollars it is spending. There is concern that the Liberal government spends more and gets less, and that money isn't flowing to communities to be allocated in ways that best serve them.
Transparency and appointments: The Conservatives raised concerns about the transparency and independence of the appointment process for the board of directors of the national council. They felt that the minister should be accountable and transparent in the House when addressing concerns about the selection process.

NDP

Supports Bill C-29: The NDP supports Bill C-29 and the creation of a national council for reconciliation. Members emphasized the importance of addressing disparities between indigenous peoples and other Canadians, including issues related to reproductive care, justice, and the overrepresentation of indigenous children in foster care.
Economic reconciliation needed: While recognizing the need for economic reconciliation, members cautioned against resource extraction as the primary focus. They advocate for economic opportunities that align with indigenous values and promote self-determination.
Concrete action, not words: The NDP insists that concrete actions are needed to address long-standing issues facing indigenous peoples. They cited the Auditor General's repeated criticisms of the government's failure to effectively serve indigenous communities and the urgent need for accountability.
Address child welfare crisis: Members raised concerns about the high percentage of indigenous children in foster care. They emphasized that addressing the child welfare crisis requires acknowledging the ongoing impacts of residential schools and the sixties scoop, as well as ensuring access to language, land, and cultural support for indigenous families.

Bloc

Bill C-29 supported: The Bloc Québécois supports Bill C-29, which establishes an apolitical and permanent indigenous-led national council for reconciliation, responding to calls to action 53 to 56 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They advocate for nation-to-nation relations between Quebec, Canada, and First Nations.
Strengthening Indigenous voice: The Bloc believes in giving Indigenous peoples a stronger voice in the reconciliation process. They have consistently worked to strengthen and guarantee Indigenous inherent rights at the federal level and ensure the full application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
Scope of the council: The Bloc raises questions about the broad scope of the council's mandate, particularly regarding monitoring private businesses versus focusing on government corporations and bodies. They emphasize the importance of the government setting an example in reconciliation efforts.
Avoiding jurisdictional overlap: The Bloc questions potential overlap between the national council's monitoring activities and existing bodies in Quebec, such as the Quebec ombudsman and committees monitoring the Viens commission’s recommendations. They hope the council will focus on federal issues in Quebec to avoid duplication.

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National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.

Bloc

Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Salaberry—Suroît, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting yes.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply and will be voting in favour.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Green Party agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.

Independent

Kevin Vuong Independent Spadina—Fort York, ON

Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply the result of the previous vote, voting in favour.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.

Independent

Alain Rayes Independent Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.

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

Vote #227

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

I declare the motion carried.

When shall the bill be read a third time? By leave, now?

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, in the process of applying the vote, before we applied the final vote, the member for Saint-Laurent happened to leave the chamber. I wanted to raise this, because I believe that impacts the count of the vote.

National Council for Reconciliation ActGovernment Orders

November 29th, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

I want to thank the hon. member for her point of order, and the vote count will be adjusted accordingly.

I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded division, Government Orders will be extended by 19 minutes.