Bill S-8 · 45th Parliament · Mark Carney
Combatting Financial Crimes and Drug Trafficking Act
An Act respecting certain measures relating to proceeds of crime, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion and the detection of non-mailable matter transmitted by post
Government bill, sponsored by Pierre Moreau (Senator). Still before Parliament.
- IntroducedNov. 2, 2026
- Debated in principleNot reached
- Studied by a committeeNot reached
- Passed its first chamberNot reached
- Passed the second chamberNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Leading supporters
Ranked by the part each played: who is responsible for the bill, who carried it, and who spoke for it most.
- Mark CarneyPrime Minister
- Pierre MoreauSenator
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
Votes and debate for this bill have not been read yet.
How it changed on the way
Only laws are compared, introduced against passed.
How precisely it is written
vagueChallenging the law: ModerateDisputing a charge: Moderate
The bill mixes fixed dollar thresholds and defined terms with repeated subjective tests and open-ended ministerial powers. Much of the operative effect depends on opinions, reasonable grounds, and future prescriptions rather than clear rules.
Open to argument
“If the Centre has reasonable grounds to believe that an applicant provided false or misleading information”
Subjective belief standard leaves the threshold for denial open to prolonged dispute.“if the Minister is of the opinion that it is necessary to do so for reasons related to national security or to safeguarding the integrity of Canada’s financial system”
Broad discretionary trigger appears in multiple sections and invites argument over what qualifies.“in a prescribed series of related transactions that total $10,000 or more”
Key limit on the cash offence is left to future regulations rather than stated in the Act.“the Minister may extend the period for conducting the review for one or more periods equal to the prescribed period if the Minister considers it necessary”
Extension power rests on the Minister’s own assessment of necessity.
Clear-cut
“cash payment, donation or deposit of $10,000 or more in a single transaction”
Uses a fixed numeric threshold and defined term 'cash'.“virtual currency automated teller machine means an automated banking machine that is capable of being used to conduct, in whole or in part, transactions involving virtual currency”
Provides an objective functional definition.
Discretion. Extensive discretion is granted to the Minister of Finance to review registrations, impose undertakings and conditions, issue orders, and extend timelines on national-security or integrity grounds, with further details left to regulations.
Challenging the law itself. Broad opinion-based powers and undefined terms such as 'integrity of Canada’s financial system' could support a vagueness or overbreadth challenge under section 7 of the Charter.
Disputing a charge under it. Accused persons could readily dispute whether 'reasonable grounds to believe' existed or whether a series of transactions was 'prescribed' or related, given the subjective and regulatory elements.
Read by a language model from the as introduced text; every quoted phrase appears in the bill. A reading of the drafting, not legal advice.
Did it work?
Only laws in force for two years or more are checked.
Who lobbied on it
No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.
Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.