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Military justice system changes

C-11 Military Justice System Modernization Act: An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts

Removes military authority over sexual offences in Canada and changes how top military justice officials are appointed.

What the law does

The law removes the military's authority to investigate or try sexual offences under the Criminal Code that are alleged to have taken place in Canada. It alters appointment processes for military prosecutors, defence counsel, and the provost marshal, who is renamed the Provost Marshal General. The law also expands who can become a military judge, removes those judges from the summary hearing system, and lets people acting for victims request a liaison officer.

Official text

Official summary

This enactment amends provisions of the National Defence Act that relate to the military justice system in response to the Report of the Third Independent Review Authority to the Minister of National Defence and the Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. In response to those reports, the enactment amends that Act to, among other things, (a) modify the process for appointing the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the Director of Military Prosecutions and the Director of Defence Counsel Services with a view to enhancing their independence; (b) affirm the Judge Advocate General’s respect for the independence of authorities in the military justice system in the exercise of the Judge Advocate General’s superintendence of the administration of military justice; (c) remove the court martial’s jurisdiction to try a person in relation to an offence under the Criminal Code that is alleged to have been committed in Canada and that is of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose; (d) remove the Canadian Armed Forces’ authority to investigate an offence under the Criminal Code that is alleged to have been committed in Canada and that is of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose; (e) expand the class of persons who are eligible to be appointed as a military judge; (f) expand the class of persons who may make an interference complaint and provide that a member of the military police or person performing policing duties or functions under the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal’s supervision must make such a complaint in certain circumstances; and (g) change the title of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal to the Provost Marshal General.

In addition, the enactment amends the National Defence Act to remove military judges from the summary hearing system and to provide that, in the context of a service offence, an individual acting on behalf of a victim may request that a victim’s liaison officer be appointed to assist them. It further amends that Act to harmonize the sex offender information and publication ban provisions with the amendments made to the Criminal Code in An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act . Finally, it amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, provide superior courts of criminal jurisdiction with the jurisdiction to hear applications for an exemption in respect of orders to comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act made under the National Defence Act and applications to vary the duration of such orders.

The government's summary, printed at the front of the bill as introduced.

Kind
Government bill
Sponsor
David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence (Ottawa South)
Introduced
in the House of Commons
Last activity

Where it stands

  1. ProposedSep 26, 2025
  2. Being debated
  3. Almost law
  4. LawJun 18

Became law June 18

  1. First reading in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  2. Second reading in the House done

    Standing Committee on National Defence

    Before the House on 3 sitting days, to

  3. Committee in the House done

    Standing Committee on National Defence

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  4. Report stage in the House done

    Before the House on 3 sitting days, to · 10 debates here

  5. Third reading in the House done

    Before the House on 2 sitting days, to · 4 debates here

    3rd reading: agreed to, 198–⁠140 (division 123),

  6. First reading in the Senate done

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  7. Second reading in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

    Before the Senate on 2 sitting days, to

  8. Committee in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  9. Report stage in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  10. Third reading in the Senate done

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  11. Royal assent done

Exact procedural stages

Officially: Royal assent received June 18, 2026 · S.C. 2026, c. 16.

  1. House
  2. Senate
  3. Royal assent

Debates in the House 15

Members who spoke: Conservative 24 Liberal 14 Bloc Québécois 13 Green 1 Independent 1

Report stage 10

  1. Government Orders: Motions in Amendment

    · Sitting 109 · 122 statements · 100 graded

    22 members spoke

  2. Government Orders: Report Stage

    · Sitting 116 · 8 statements · 8 graded

    5 members spoke

  3. Report Stage

    · Sitting 116 · 86 statements · 80 graded

    25 members spoke

  4. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

  5. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

  6. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 1 statement

    1 member spoke

  7. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 3 statements

    3 members spoke

  8. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

  9. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 3 statements

    3 members spoke

  10. Government Orders

    · Sitting 117 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

Third reading 4

  1. Military Justice System Modernization Act

    · Sitting 120 · 22 statements · 19 graded

    9 members spoke

  2. Military Justice System Modernization Act

    · Sitting 120 · 28 statements · 24 graded

    6 members spoke

  3. Military Justice System Modernization Act

    · Sitting 121 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

  4. Government Orders

    · Sitting 121 · 2 statements

    2 members spoke

Time allocation, closure and other motions on the bill 1

  1. Military Justice System Modernization Act: Bill C-11-Time Allocation Motion

    · Sitting 116 · Time allocation motion · 35 statements · 34 graded

    15 members spoke

Also raised in 23

Question Period, members' statements and other debates where the bill came up.

Show 23

  1. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  2. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  3. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  4. Business of Supply

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  5. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  6. Business of the House

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  7. Government Business No. 13—Proceedings on Bill C‑22

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  8. Government Business No. 13—Proceedings on Bill C‑22

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  9. Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30

    · Government Orders · named 3 times

  10. Message from the Senate

    · Private Members' Business · named 1 time

  11. Government Orders

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  12. Canadian Identity and Culture

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  13. Business of Supply

    · Government Orders · named 15 times

  14. Business of Supply

    · Government Orders · named 6 times

  15. Business of the House

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  16. National Defence

    · Oral Questions · named 3 times

  17. Military Justice System Modernization Act

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  18. Business of the House

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  19. Canadian Armed Forces

    · Statements by Members · named 1 time

  20. Government Business No. 9—Changes to the Standing Orders

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  21. Government Orders

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  22. Business of the House

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  23. Government Business No. 9—Changes to Standing Orders

    · Government Orders · named 7 times

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Status, stages and votes from LEGISinfo. Debates are linked from the House's own record of what was before it. Grades are the site's analysis of each statement.