💸 When a Bill Dies in Canada — and Why It’s a Huge Waste of Our Tax Dollars

💸 When a Bill Dies in Canada — and Why It’s a Huge Waste of Our Tax Dollars

Let’s break it down in plain English 👇

⸻

🏛️ What It Means When a Bill “Dies”

When Parliament is prorogued, dissolved for an election, or just doesn’t finish all its steps in time, every unfinished bill dies on the Order Paper.

That means:
• All the debates, committees, witnesses, research, translation, printing, and legal drafting — paid for by us — vanish.
• MPs can re-introduce the same bill later (often with a new number, like C-26 → C-8).
• The process starts from scratch, even if 95 % of it was already done.

👉 So yes — millions of dollars and months of work disappear.

⸻

⚖️ Why Bills Die

1️⃣ Parliament shuts down (prorogued or dissolved)

The government decides to “reset” Parliament. Every unfinished bill is wiped.
(Example: C-26 died when Parliament reset, so they brought it back as C-8.)

2️⃣ It didn’t have enough support

Opposition parties or senators blocked or delayed it.

3️⃣ It was too controversial

They let it quietly die before an election — then rebrand it later with a new number and softer language.

⸻

🧩 What “Re-Introducing” a Bill Really Means

They’re basically saying:

“Canadians didn’t want it the first time, but we’re trying again — with maybe a few tweaks.”

That’s why people call it “legislation by persistence.”
They wait until the public stops paying attention — then bring it back under a new name.

⸻

💰 Why It Wastes Taxpayer Money

Each version requires:
• Legal drafters & translators ( thousands of staff hours )
• Committee hearings (MPs, clerks, witnesses, security )
• Printing, publication, and web hosting
• House time that could’ve been spent on something else

💸 It’s basically recycling failed laws at our expense.

⸻

🚨 What “Everyone Didn’t Agree” Really Means

If a bill dies, it’s usually because:
• Opposition parties voted against it
• The Senate stalled it
• Or Canadians spoke out (loud backlash, petitions, pressure)

So when it returns under a new number, it’s a sign the government still wants the same powers Canadians already rejected.

Bill Life Cycle Chart:
1️⃣ First Reading → 2️⃣ Debate → 3️⃣ Committee → 4️⃣ Senate → 5️⃣ Royal Assent → ☠️ Dies if not finished → 🔁 Re-introduced later (new number, same idea)

https://open.substack.com/pub/demandcontrol/p/when-a-bill-dies-in-canada-and-why