Guide to Making Federal Acts and Regulations

2nd Edition

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Cabinet Directive on Law-making

1. Introduction
2. Fundamentals of the Government’s Law-making Activity
3. Preparation of the Government’s Legislative Program
4. Preparation of Government Bills 
5. Parliamentary Processes and Amendments 
6. Coming into Force 
7. Regulation-making 
8. Conclusion 

Part 1 - Law-making Framework 

Chapter 1.1 - Choosing the Right Tools to Accomplish Policy Objectives 

• Introduction 
• What is the situation? 
• What are the objectives and desired results? 
• Is there a role for the Government of Canada? 
• What instruments are available to accomplish the desired results? 
• What is involved in putting the instruments in place? 
• What effect would the instruments have? 
• How will the success of the instruments be measured? 
• Which instruments should be chosen? 
• Additional information 

Chapter 1.2 - Legal Considerations 

• The Constitution 
• Quasi-constitutional Acts 
• Acts of general application 
• Legal principles of general application 

Part 2 - Making Acts 

Chapter 2.1 - Getting Started 

• What are Acts and Who is Involved in Making Them? 
• Preparation of the Government’s Legislative Program 
• Departmental Planning and Management 
• Strategic Considerations for Legislative Planning and Management 
• Project Planning Templates 
• Schematic Map of the Federal Law-making Process and Associated Support Activities 

Chapter 2.2 - Development and Cabinet Approval of Policy 

• Summary of the Cabinet Policy Approval Process 
• Good Governance Guidelines 
• Preparing a Memorandum to Cabinet 
• Preparing Bill-drafting Instructions for a Memorandum to Cabinet 
• Particular Legal and Policy Considerations 
• Activities and Products for Policy Development and Approval 
• MC Preparation Planning Calendar 

Chapter 2.3 - Preparation and Cabinet Approval of Bills 

• Summary of the Bill Preparation and Cabinet Approval Process 
• Legislative Drafting Conventions 
• Bill Preparation Process in Detail 
• Activities and Products for Bill Preparation and Approval 

Chapter 2.4 - Parliamentary Process 

• Summary of the Parliamentary Process 
• Certification of Government Bills 
• Activities and Products in the Parliamentary Process 

Chapter 2.5 - Coming into Force 

• Coming into Force of Acts 
• Activities and Products for Bringing an Act into Force 

Chapter 2.6 - Post-enactment Review 

• Post-enactment Review: Issues to be considered 

Part 3 - Making Regulations 

• What are regulations? 
• What is the legal framework for regulations? 
• What is the policy framework for regulations? 
• Summary of the Regulatory Process 

Appendix - Reference Material 

• Parliamentary Democracy 
• Preparing Legislation 
• Parliamentary Process—General 
• Parliamentary Process—House of Commons 
• Parliamentary Process—Senate 
• Regulatory Process

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