Budgets & spendingDemocracy & rights

Limits on non-disclosure agreements

S-232 Can’t Buy Silence Act: An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements

Restricts using federal funds for non-disclosure agreements in discrimination or harassment settlements and requires reporting on their use.

What Bill S-232 would do

The bill would restrict using federal funds to litigate non-disclosure agreements against complainants or pay for settlements involving harassment, violence, or discrimination that include these agreements. Federal officials providing grants or contributions would have to ensure public money is not used for these purposes. Outside organizations receiving federal grants would have to report their use of non-disclosure agreements, and the Treasury Board would report on their use across the federal public sector.

Official summary

This enactment requires the President of the Treasury Board to report on the use of certain non-disclosure agreements in the federal public sector. It also requires Parliament to undertake a review of the Act every two years after it enters into force. It amends the Financial Administration Act and the Parliament of Canada Act in respect of the use of public money to enter into non-disclosure agreements and to litigate non-disclosure agreements against complainants. It amends the Financial Administration Act to require federal officials empowered to make grants and contributions to take measures to ensure that public money is not used to (a) pay for settlements in relation to harassment and violence or discrimination if the settlement is to include a non-disclosure agreement; or (b) litigate non-disclosure agreements against complainants.

Finally, it amends the Financial Administration Act to require non-government entities receiving a grant or contribution of federal funds to report to the President of the Treasury Board on their use of non-disclosure agreements. Available on the Senate of Canada website at the following address: www.sencanada.ca/en 1st Session, 45th Parliament, 3 Charles III, 2025 SENATE OF CANADA BILL S-232 An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Kind
Senator's bill
Sponsor
Marilou McPhedran, Senator
Introduced
in the Senate
Last activity

Where it stands

  1. ProposedJun 12, 2025
  2. Being debatedsince Jun 12, 2025 Exact stageAt second reading in the Senate · since June 12, 2025MPs or senators are debating it in the chamber where it started.
  3. Almost law
  4. Law

First debate in the Senate: 3 days so far

  1. First reading in the Senate done

    Before the Senate on 1 sitting day,

  2. Second reading in the Senate now

    Before the Senate on 3 sitting days, to

  3. Third reading in the Senate not yet

  4. First reading in the House not yet

  5. Second reading in the House not yet

  6. Committee in the House not yet

  7. Report stage in the House not yet

  8. Third reading in the House not yet

  9. Royal assent not yet

Exact procedural stages
  1. Senate
    1. First reading in the Senate: done, 2025-06-12
    2. Second reading in the Senate: current stage
    3. Third reading in the Senate: not yet reached
  2. House
    1. First reading in the House: not yet reached
    2. Second reading in the House: not yet reached
    3. Committee in the House: not yet reached
    4. Report stage in the House: not yet reached
    5. Third reading in the House: not yet reached
  3. Royal assent
    1. Royal assent: not yet reached

Debates in the House 0

No debate on this bill is in the record we hold yet (Senate debates are not covered).

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