Updated July 2026. In February 2026, a Senate committee recommended stripping major powers out of Bill C-12. That recommendation was ultimately rejected — here’s what the committee proposed, what actually happened, and what became law.
What the Senate Social Affairs Committee Recommended
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) studied Parts 5 through 8 of Bill C-12 — the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act — and recommended removing those parts entirely. The sections covered a new information-sharing regime, changes to the in-Canada asylum process, new government authorities over immigration documents, and new refugee ineligibility rules.
The most debated provision was Part 7, which would let the Governor in Council make orders affecting immigration documents in the “public interest” — witnesses told the committee this could function as an overbroad power to cancel, suspend, or vary immigration documents, raising concerns about executive overreach and unfair, potentially discriminatory group-based impacts.
If full removal wasn’t adopted, SOCI’s alternate recommendations included mandatory Privacy Commissioner review of the information-sharing regime, narrowing who it applies to, parliamentary oversight for the new Part 7 authorities, and addressing retroactivity concerns in the Part 8 ineligibility rules.
What Actually Happened
The Senate’s National Security Committee, which also reviewed the bill, rejected the Social Affairs Committee’s recommendation and reported the bill without amendments on February 25, 2026 — meaning Parts 5-8 stayed intact despite the earlier committee’s concerns.
The full Senate did adopt two narrower amendments before passing the bill on March 12, 2026:
- An amendment from Senator Paulette Senior exempting Canadian citizens and permanent residents from the information-sharing provisions
- An amendment from Senator Dean requiring a parliamentary committee to review the Act’s effects five years after it comes into force
The Outcome
Bill C-12 received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026, becoming law with Parts 5-8 largely intact — including the contested Part 7 document-cancellation authority — despite substantial opposition from civil society and human rights organizations throughout the legislative process.
Sources: CIC News; LEGISinfo, Parliament of Canada.
