Bill S-3 · 39th Parliament · Stephen Harper
An Act to amend the National Defence Act, the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the Criminal Records Act
Government bill. Became law.
- IntroducedApril 24, 2006
- Debated in principleJune 21, 2006
- Studied by a committeeDone
- Passed its first chamberFeb. 14, 2007
- Passed the second chamberMarch 29, 2007
- Became lawMarch 29, 2007
Leading supporters
Ranked by the part each played: who is responsible for the bill, who carried it, and who spoke for it most.
- Stephen HarperPrime Minister
- Pierre Claude NolinSenate · Sponsor in the Senate
- Russ HiebertStates he is very pleased to speak in support of the bill.
- The Deputy SpeakerThe bill is deemed passed without amendment through procedural order.
- Penny PriddyExplicitly rises to support the bill and the sex offender registry.
- Marcel ProulxSpeaks positively about the forces and clarifies the bill does not discredit them.
Who carries this bill
Arrows run from the person responsible to those who answer to them on this bill. The critic leads the Senate’s scrutiny and answers to no one on it.
Where members stand
What the Senate tried to change
- adds safeguardsSerge JoyalAdds requirements that the Chief of the Defence Staff notify the Minister before making a determination, may act only if operational reasons clearly outweigh public interest, must review every 15 days, and must report annually to Parliament on use of the powers.Adopted · Feb. 15, 2007 · Senate record
How it changed on the way
78% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (23,794 words introduced, 17,682 passed).
substantial changeintent kept
The core scheme requiring military sex offenders to register was retained with only minor wording and date updates. The main change was completing the duration rules for registration orders that were left incomplete in the introduced version.
- Completed the duration of order section that was cut off.
Before: “(a) ends 10 years after it was made if the maximum term of”
After: “(a) ends 10 years after it was made if the maximum term of imprisonment for the offence in connection with which it was made is five years or less;”
How precisely it is written
mostly preciseChallenging the law: ModerateDisputing a charge: Moderate
The bill relies on defined terms, fixed time periods tied to maximum sentences, and objective proof standards such as beyond a reasonable doubt to set registration obligations and durations. Some discretion remains in phrases like reasonable excuse and necessity determinations by officials.
Open to argument
“closure is necessary to enable the Provost Marshal to determine”
Uses a necessity standard that invites debate over what counts as necessary.
Clear-cut
“ends 10 years after it was made if the maximum term of imprisonment for the offence in connection with which it was made is five years or less”
Ties duration directly to an objective statutory maximum, leaving no interpretive room.“the prosecutor establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the person committed the offence with the intent to commit an offence referred to in paragraph (a) or (c)”
Applies a clear criminal standard of proof to a specific factual element.
Discretion. The Provost Marshal decides when to serve notices and when disclosure is necessary, while the Governor in Council may make regulations on reporting methods and designated registration centres.
Challenging the law itself. The phrase without reasonable excuse could be attacked under section 7 of the Charter as vague or overbroad, though the rest of the scheme is tightly structured.
Disputing a charge under it. An accused can readily raise the reasonable-excuse defence or dispute whether disclosure was truly necessary, but the fixed time periods and proof standards limit other arguments.
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.
Did it work?
no evaluation found
Who lobbied on it
No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.
Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.