Reading Time: 7 minutesDisponible en français. Mandatory minimum sentences are set by Parliament to limit judicial discretion when it comes to imposing punishment. There were six offences with mandatory minimum sentences when the first Criminal Code (the Code) was enacted in 1892, for… Read More ›
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the history of Black communities in Canada, and to honour the contributions of Black Canadians. The first Black person to arrive in what is now Canada is… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. Equalization is a federal transfer payment program designed to reduce the differences in revenue-generating capacity among Canada’s 10 provinces. The program helps ensure that all Canadians have access to broadly comparable levels of public services. The Equalization program is… Read More ›
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. According to census data, approximately 185,000 people lived in Canada’s long-term care (LTC) facilities in 2021. Health Canada defines residential LTC as “living accommodation for people who require on-site delivery of 24 hour, 7 days a week… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. Section 33(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter) permits Parliament or the legislature of a province to adopt legislation to override certain rights and freedoms for a limited period, subject to renewal. Such a use… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. The Public Accounts of Canada is an annual report of the Government of Canada’s financial activities for the fiscal year ending each 31 March. It includes consolidated financial statements, summaries of various financial reports, and additional analysis and information. It does not include Canada Pension Plan… Read More ›
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. The preamble to the Lobbying Act states that free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest, that lobbying public office holders is a legitimate activity, that it is desirable for public office holders and… Read More ›
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. On 20 June 2022, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted resolution 76/269, declaring June 24 of each year the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The UN resolution recognizes the contributions that women make to diplomacy; it notes… Read More ›
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. On 1 March 1973, the Standing Joint Committee on Regulations and other Statutory Instruments met for the first time. Its members had been appointed in January 1973, following the presentation, in 1969, of the final report of… Read More ›
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. From 6 to 10 May 2024, the Government of Canada is holding its 12th annual Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) Awareness Week. In response to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the United… Read More ›