Military Justice System Modernization Act

An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts

Sponsor

David McGuinty  Liberal

Status

Third reading (House), as of May 8, 2026

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Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.

This enactment amends provisions of the National Defence Act that relate to the military justice system in response to the Report of the Third Independent Review Authority to the Minister of National Defence and the Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
In response to those reports, the enactment amends that Act to, among other things,
(a) modify the process for appointing the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the Director of Military Prosecutions and the Director of Defence Counsel Services with a view to enhancing their independence;
(b) affirm the Judge Advocate General’s respect for the independence of authorities in the military justice system in the exercise of the Judge Advocate General’s superintendence of the administration of military justice;
(c) remove the court martial’s jurisdiction to try a person in relation to an offence under the Criminal Code that is alleged to have been committed in Canada and that is of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose and provide for exceptions;
(d) [ Deleted ]
(d.1) provide for the development of a plan for the establishment of an office of the inspectorgeneral for sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces;
(e) expand the class of persons who are eligible to be appointed as a military judge;
(f) expand the class of persons who may make an interference complaint and provide that a member of the military police or person performing policing duties or functions under the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal’s supervision must make such a complaint in certain circumstances; and
(g) change the title of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal to the Provost Marshal General.
In addition, the enactment amends the National Defence Act to remove military judges from the summary hearing system and to provide that, in the context of a service offence, an individual acting on behalf of a victim or an accused may request that a victim’s liaison officer be appointed to assist them.
It further amends that Act to harmonize the sex offender information and publication ban provisions with the amendments made to the Criminal Code in An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act .
Finally, it amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, provide superior courts of criminal jurisdiction with the jurisdiction to hear applications for an exemption in respect of orders to comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act made under the National Defence Act and applications to vary the duration of such orders.

Similar bills

C-66 (44th Parliament, 1st session) Military Justice System Modernization Act

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-11s:

C-11 (2022) Law Online Streaming Act
C-11 (2020) Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020
C-11 (2020) Law Appropriation Act No. 1, 2020-21
C-11 (2016) Law An Act to amend the Copyright Act (access to copyrighted works or other subject-matter for persons with perceptual disabilities)

Votes

May 5, 2026 Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts
May 5, 2026 Failed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 9)
May 5, 2026 Passed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 6)
May 5, 2026 Passed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 5)
May 5, 2026 Failed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 4)
May 5, 2026 Passed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 3)
May 5, 2026 Failed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 2)
May 5, 2026 Failed Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts (report stage amendment) (Motion No. 1)
May 4, 2026 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts

National Defence Committee, on Oct. 27, 2025

  • David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
  • Gravel, Chief Operating Officer, Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre, Department of National Defence
  • Rob Holman, Judge Advocate General, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Paul Prévost, Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture, Department of National Defence
  • Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Beck, Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence

National Defence Committee, on Nov. 6, 2025

  • Colonel, Retired) Michel Drapeau (Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
  • Lieutenant-Colonel, Retired) Rory Fowler (Lawyer, As an Individual
  • Megan MacKenzie, Professor and Simons Chair in International Law and Human Security, Simon Fraser University, As an Individual
  • Duval-Lantoine, Vice-President, Ottawa Operations, Canadian Global Affairs Institute

National Defence Committee, on Nov. 18, 2025

  • Breeck, Medical Doctor, As an Individual
  • David, Senior Legal Counsel, As an Individual
  • Colonel, Retired) Bruce MacGregor (Former Director of Military Prosecutions, As an Individual

National Defence Committee, on Nov. 20, 2025

National Defence Committee, on Nov. 27, 2025

  • Le Scelleur, Veteran and Ph.D. Candidate, As an Individual
  • Chisholm, Master Warrant Officer (retired), As an Individual
  • Wood, As an Individual
  • Van Leusden, Director, Survivor Perspectives Consulting Group
  • Hill Rose, Peer Support Advocate, United Federation of Canadian Veterans
  • Therrien-Tremblay, Committee Researcher

National Defence Committee, on Dec. 2, 2025

National Defence Committee, on Dec. 11, 2025

  • Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
  • Kim, Associate Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
  • Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of National Defence
  • Jollez, Director General, Change Management and Oversight, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of National Defence

National Defence Committee, on Jan. 28, 2026

  • Geneviève Lortie, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Military Justice Modernization, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Matt MacMillan, Director, Military Justice Implementation, Office of the Judge Advocate General, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence

National Defence Committee, on Feb. 2, 2026

  • Legault, Legislative Clerk
  • Clerk
  • Geneviève Lortie, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Military Justice Modernization, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Matt MacMillan, Director, Military Justice Implementation, Office of the Judge Advocate General, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Wilson, Legislative Clerk

National Defence Committee, on Feb. 4, 2026

  • Geneviève Lortie, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Military Justice Modernization, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence
  • Legault, Legislative Clerk
  • Matt MacMillan, Director, Military Justice Implementation, Office of the Judge Advocate General, Canadian Armed Forces, Department of National Defence