Bill C-318 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)

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

Sponsor

Rosemarie Falk Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Dead, as of April 30, 2024
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the Employment Insurance Act to introduce a new type of special benefits: an attachment benefit of 15 weeks for adoptive parents and parents of children conceived through surrogacy. It also amends the Canada Labour Code to extend parental leave accordingly.

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-318s:

C-318 (2021) National Renewable Energy Strategy Act

C-318 (2016) Indian Residential School Reconciliation and Memorial Day Act

C-318 (2013) An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Canada Pension Plan payments)

C-318 (2011) An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (Canada Pension Plan payments)

Votes

Sept. 20, 2023 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)

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-318 proposes amendments to the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code to create a 15-week EI attachment benefit for adoptive and intended parents, mirroring maternity benefits, to support bonding and attachment with their new child. It also includes provisions for extending benefits if the child is hospitalized. The bill aims to provide equitable treatment for all parents, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by adoptive and intended parents in forming strong relationships with their children.

Conservative

Supports equitable EI benefits: The Conservative party supports Bill C-318, which seeks to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code to provide adoptive and intended parents with 15 more weeks of EI benefits. Currently, adoptive and intended parents are entitled to 15 fewer weeks of leave because they cannot access maternity leave benefits.
Attachment and bonding: The bill aims to deliver parity while supporting attachment and bonding for families formed through adoption and surrogacy. Healthy attachments help build confidence, self-esteem, self-control, and the ability to form relationships, encouraging exploration, learning, resilience, and stability.
Good policy, non-partisan: The Conservatives believe that having equality in the benefits landscape and a 'time to attach' benefit is good policy. The party notes that the bill has received some form of support from all sides of the aisle, with previous petitions and recommendations from various committees and platforms.
Government inaction: Despite promises from the Liberal government to include this benefit in previous budgets, it has failed to materialize, causing delays and missed opportunities for families. The Conservatives emphasize the need for immediate action to address the current system's discrimination against adoptive and intended parents.

NDP

Supports attachment leave: The NDP supports Bill C-318, which would create a 15-week attachment leave benefit for adoptive and intended parents through the employment insurance system, improving outcomes for children being adopted.
Need for inclusivity: The NDP emphasizes that the bill should include kinship and customary caregivers, who are particularly important for Métis, First Nations, and Inuit families, reflecting indigenous culture and traditions as an alternative to foster care.
Addressing historical harms: The NDP highlights the need to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system and prevent further separation from their families and communities, referencing the harmful impacts of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop.
Hope for amendment: While supporting the bill, the NDP hopes that amendments will be made at the committee level to extend benefits to customary and kinship caregivers, aligning with reconciliation efforts and international obligations.

Bloc

Supports attachment benefit: The Bloc Québécois supports Bill C-318, which would provide adoptive parents with the same 15 weeks of EI benefits as biological parents. They believe this will ensure fairness for all parents.
Importance of bonding time: Members emphasized the importance of bonding time for adoptive parents, particularly given that adopted children are often older or have special needs, making attachment more complex. They also note the need to prepare for the child's arrival and manage professional services.
Need for EI reform: Bloc members criticized the Liberal government's lack of leadership on broader EI reform, noting broken promises to modernize the system and address gaps highlighted by the pandemic. They say that the government relies on private member's bills to address issues that should be part of a comprehensive EI reform package.
Quebec's plan: A member compared the bill to Quebec's parental insurance plan, noting that Quebec has moved towards equitable treatment of adoptive parents. They stated that neither the Canadian nor Quebec plans currently offer attachment benefits.

Liberal

Supports adoptive parental leave: The Liberal party is committed to providing adoptive parents with an additional 15 weeks of leave. They recognize the importance of time for adoptive parents to bond with their children and believe in equitable support for all parents.
EI modernization underway: The government is working to modernize the EI program to be simpler and more responsive to the needs of Canadians. Consultations have taken place with stakeholders, including parents, to discuss making EI maternity and parental benefits more inclusive of diverse family structures.
Challenges with Bill C-318: Several Liberal members raised concerns about Bill C-318, particularly the requirement for royal recommendation, which is difficult to obtain. Other potential issues include the timing of the benefit relative to home preparation and outdated practices.

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Employment Insurance ActPrivate Members' Business

September 18th, 2023 / 11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK

Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded division.

Employment Insurance ActPrivate Members' Business

September 18th, 2023 / 11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont

Pursuant to Standing Order 93, the division stands deferred until Wednesday, September 20, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.

Sitting SuspendedEmployment Insurance ActPrivate Members' Business

September 18th, 2023 / 11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont

The House will suspend until noon.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 11:52 a.m.)

(The House resumed at 12 p.m.)

The House resumed from September 18 consideration of the motion that Bill C‑318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents), be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Employment Insurance ActPrivate Members' Business

September 20th, 2023 / 3:15 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

It being 3:16 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C‑318.

Call in the members.

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

Vote #409

Employment Insurance ActPrivate Members' Business

September 20th, 2023 / 3:35 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

I declare the motion carried.

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

I wish to inform the House that, because of the deferred recorded division, Government Orders will be extended by 16 minutes.