An Act to amend the Act of incorporation of The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

How it changed on the way

52% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (524 words introduced, 387 passed).

substantial changeintent kept

The bill passed to broaden the General Synod's investment powers by replacing section 6A of its 1921 incorporation act. The old section text was removed and the bill received royal assent on 19 May 2005 with only formal preamble updates added.

• The original section 6A listing specific investment options was removed during passage.

  Before: “The Synod may also invest and reinvest any of its funds, including any funds held in trust − (a) in any bonds or debentures of any municipality or public school corporation or district in Canada, or in securities of or guaranteed by the Government of Canada or of any province thereof;”

How precisely it is written

vagueChallenging the law: HardDisputing a charge: Hard

The replacement section lets the Synod choose investments solely by its own view of what is advisable. No objective criteria, defined terms or limits replace the prior list of permitted securities.

Open to argument

• “in such investments as the Synod considers advisable.”

  Subjective standard based on internal opinion replaces any objective test or enumerated list.

Discretion. Complete discretion over investment choices is granted to the Synod itself with no role for ministers, officials or regulations.

Challenging the law itself. The clause confers corporate power rather than imposing restrictions, making a successful Charter vagueness or overbreadth challenge unlikely.

Disputing a charge under it. Because the test is the Synod's own opinion of advisability, an allegation that an investment breached the section would be difficult to contest.

Read by a language model from the royal assent text; every quoted phrase appears in the bill. A reading of the drafting, not legal advice.