How a Bill Becomes Law in Canada, Step by Step

How a bill becomes law in Canada

Canada’s law-making process is short enough to learn in one sitting, and the citizenship test asks about it in a predictable way: which body does what, and what happens at each reading.

The three parts of Parliament

Parliament is made up of the Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons.

The House of Commons is the representative chamber. Its members of Parliament are elected by the people, traditionally every four years.
Senators are not elected. They are appointed by the Governor General on the Prime Minister’s advice, and serve until they turn 75.
The Sovereign is represented by the Governor General, who grants royal assent.

The stages of a bill

A proposed law is called a bill. In the chamber it moves through:

First reading — the bill is printed and treated as having been read once.
Second reading — members debate the principle behind the bill.
Committee stage — a committee goes through the bill clause by clause.
Report stage — members can propose further amendments.
Third reading — members debate the bill again and vote on it.

Royal assent

A bill cannot become law until both chambers have passed it and it has received royal assent. The Governor General gives royal assent on behalf of the Sovereign. Only then is it law.

The provinces work the same way

Each provincial legislature is made up of the Lieutenant Governor and the elected Assembly, mirroring the federal model on a smaller scale.

Test yourself on this

Reading it once is not the same as being able to answer it. The chapter test uses the same format as the real Canadian Citizenship Test.

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Questions on this topic

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1.What are the three parts of Parliament in Canada?
- AThe Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial
- BThe Prime Minister, the Senate and the courts
- CThe Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons
- DThe Governor General, the Cabinet and the Commons
Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us
2.How are senators chosen?
- AThey are elected by the voters of each province
- BThey are chosen by the premiers of the provinces and territories
- CThey are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister
- DThey are appointed by the Supreme Court of Canada
Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us
3.Until what age do senators serve?
- A75
- B70
- CUntil they resign
- D65
Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us
4.How often are members of the House of Commons traditionally elected?
- AEvery four years
- BEvery five years
- CEvery two years
- DEvery seven years
The House of Commons is the representative chamber, made up of members of Parliament elected by the people, traditionally every four years. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us
5.What must happen before a bill becomes law in Canada?
- AA referendum must be held on the question
- BThe Supreme Court of Canada must approve it
- CThe Cabinet must vote for it unanimously
- DBoth chambers must pass it and it must receive royal assent
No bill can become law in Canada until it has been passed by both chambers and has received royal assent. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us
6.Who grants royal assent?
- AThe Governor General, on behalf of the Sovereign
- BThe Prime Minister
- CThe Chief Justice
- DThe Speaker of the House of Commons
Royal assent is granted by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign. (Parliament and how a bill becomes law)
Think this is wrong? Tell us

Questions are original works testing facts published in Discover Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). Not affiliated with or endorsed by IRCC or the Government of Canada.