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Federal election rules updated

C-25 Strong and Free Elections Act: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and to enact An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts, 2026

Updates federal election rules by banning foreign influence and anonymous donations, and raises election fines.

What the law does

The law amends the Canada Elections Act to set new bans on foreign influence, bribery, unauthorized computer use, and false information about elections or candidate nominations. It restricts voting in nomination or leadership contests, bans anonymous contributions to political entities and third parties, and requires parties to have privacy policies. It also raises administrative monetary penalties, gives enforcement powers to the Commissioner of Canada Elections, and changes the names of some electoral districts.

Official text

Official summary

This enactment amends the Canada Elections Act to, among other things, (a) establish new prohibitions and modify existing prohibitions, including in relation to foreign influence in the electoral process, accepting or offering a bribe, unauthorized use of a computer, making or publishing false or misleading information respecting elections and the candidate nomination process; (b) establish new prohibitions in relation to voting in a nomination contest or leadership contest; (c) prohibit the acceptance or use of certain contributions by political entities and third parties, including from anonymous sources; (d) provide for new requirements relating to political parties’ policies for the protection of personal information; and (e) expand the scope of certain provisions relating to the administration and enforcement of that Act, including by increasing the maximum administrative monetary penalties that may be imposed for certain violations and by granting the Commissioner of Canada Elections certain powers in respect of any conspiracy or attempt to commit, or being an accessory after the fact or counselling in relation to, a contravention of that Act.

The enactment also enacts a statute to change the name of certain electoral districts as a result of proposals by the members of the House of Commons who represent those electoral districts.

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

Kind
Government bill
Sponsor
Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Gatineau)
Introduced
in the House of Commons
Last activity

Where it stands

  1. ProposedMar 26
  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 Procedure and House Affairs

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

    2nd reading and referral to committee - PROC: agreed to on division,

  3. Committee in the House done

    Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  4. Report stage in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  5. Third reading in the House done

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

    3rd reading: agreed to,

  6. Senate pre-study (Senate) done

    Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

  7. First reading in the Senate done

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  8. Second reading in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  9. Committee in the Senate done

    Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional 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. 20.

  1. House
  2. Senate
  3. Royal assent

Debates in the House 8

Members who spoke: Conservative 18 Liberal 10 Bloc Québécois 9 Green 1

Second reading 2

  1. Strong and Free Elections Act

    · Sitting 110 · 24 statements · 21 graded

    10 members spoke

  2. Strong and Free Elections Act

    · Sitting 110 · 41 statements · 35 graded

    16 members spoke

Third reading 4

  1. Government Orders

    · Sitting 133 · 16 statements · 12 graded

    7 members spoke

  2. Government Orders: Third Reading

    · Sitting 133 · 25 statements · 15 graded

    8 members spoke

  3. Government Orders: Third Reading

    · Sitting 134 · 11 statements · 11 graded

    5 members spoke

  4. Strong and Free Elections Act

    · Sitting 134 · 29 statements · 28 graded

    11 members spoke

Time allocation, closure and other motions on the bill 2

  1. Government Orders: Bill C-25-Notice of Time Allocation Motion

    · Sitting 133 · Time allocation motion · 1 statement

    1 member spoke

  2. Strong and Free Elections Act: Bill C-25-Time Allocation Motion

    · Sitting 134 · Time allocation motion · 34 statements · 31 graded

    13 members spoke

Also raised in 11

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

Show 11

  1. Safe Social Media Act

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

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

    · Government Orders · named 2 times

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

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

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

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  5. Bail and Sentencing Reform Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  6. Business of the House

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  7. Artificial Intelligence

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  8. Routine Proceedings

    · Routine Proceedings · named 1 time

  9. Adjournment Proceedings

    · Adjournment Proceedings · named 1 time

  10. Committees of the House

    · Routine Proceedings · named 1 time

  11. Business of the House

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

Discussion

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Comment rules

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.