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Bill S-219 · 41th Parliament · Stephen Harper

Journey to Freedom Day Act

An Act respecting a national day of commemoration of the exodus of Vietnamese refugees and their acceptance in Canada after the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War

Senate bill. Became law.

  1. IntroducedApril 9, 2014
  2. Debated in principleOct. 28, 2014
  3. Studied by a committeeDone
  4. Passed its first chamberDec. 7, 2014
  5. Passed the second chamberApril 22, 2015
  6. Became lawApril 22, 2015

Where members stand

Votes and debate for this bill have not been read yet.

How it changed on the way

98% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (604 words introduced, 601 passed). A committee amended it.

substantial changeintent mostly kept

The bill kept its core purpose of creating an annual April 30 commemoration of the Vietnamese refugee exodus and Canadian acceptance but replaced every reference to the name Black April Day with Journey to Freedom Day. The short title, the day designation, and the preamble wording were all rewritten to reflect the new name while leaving the historical recitals and the non-holiday clause unchanged.

  • Short title changed from Black April Day Act to Journey to Freedom Day Act.
    Before: “This Act may be cited as the Black April Day Act.”
    After: “This Act may be cited as the Journey to Freedom Day Act.”
  • Day designation changed from Black April Day to Journey to Freedom Day.
    Before: “Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the thirtieth day of April shall be known as "Black April Day".”
    After: “Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the thirtieth day of April shall be known as "Journey to Freedom Day".”
  • Preamble updated to present both names as alternatives used by the community.
    Before: “And whereas April 30 is referred to by many members of the community of displaced Vietnamese people and their families in Canada as "Black April Day"”
    After: “And whereas April 30 is referred to by many members of the community of displaced Vietnamese people and their families in Canada as "Black April Day", or alternatively as "Journey to Freedom Day"”

How precisely it is written

95VaguePrecise

preciseChallenging the law: HardDisputing a charge: Hard

This Act simply names April 30 as Journey to Freedom Day each year across Canada. It adds no duties, bans, or discretionary powers.

Clear-cut

  • “Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the thirtieth day of April shall be known as "Journey to Freedom Day".”
    Uses a fixed calendar date and mandatory language with no qualifiers or conditions.
  • “For greater certainty, Journey to Freedom Day is not a legal holiday or a non-juridical day.”
    Explicitly removes any possible legal effects, leaving nothing open to interpretation.

Discretion. No authority is delegated to any minister, official or regulation; the naming is fixed directly by statute.

Challenging the law itself. The Act creates no enforceable obligations or restrictions, so it engages no Charter rights and offers no basis for a vagueness or overbreadth challenge.

Disputing a charge under it. The statute imposes no duties or prohibitions, making it impossible to be accused of breaching it.

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?

The evidence has not been searched yet.

Who lobbied on it

No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.

Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.