C-59

Omnibus Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 21, 2015 and other measures.

Bill C-59 timeline:

1. May 5, 2015: First Reading
2. May 25, 2015: Second Reading
3. May 26, 2015: Referral to the Committee on Finance
4. May 26 – June 6, 2015: Pre-study at the Senate and standing committee on national finance
5. June 15, 2015: Senate First Reading
6. June 17, 2015: Senate Second Reading
7. June 18, 2015: Standing Senate Committee on national finance
8. June 22, 2015: Senate Third Reading
9. June 23, 2015: Bill C-59 has been given the royal assent and became a law

The Bill states that:

• The Access to Information Act, retroactively to October 25, 2011 does not apply to any records, files or copies from the Long-gun registry regarding the registration of a non-prohibited nor restricted firearm.
• Any procedure (request, complaint, investigation, judicial review, judicial review or appeal) conducted under the provisions of the Access to Information Act since October 25, 2011 submits to the previous provision (above) and that the Act does then not apply.
• The Ending the Long-gun Registry Act (ELRA) prevails over any other Act of Parliament in case of incompatibility.
• Destruction of records must take place despite any requirement to keep the data or any copies.

It also relieves the Crown of any liability in regards to the destruction or omission, occurred since October 25, 2011, to the alleged compliance with the Access to Information Act.

Specifically, the Bill prevents any request for information access on the registry since October 25, 2011 and prohibits any possible lawsuit against a body that has refused and / or will refuse to provide access to information on the registry.