An Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Short title: Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act Bill C-41 (40-3) Status: At report stage in the House of Commons Type: House Government Bill Sponsor: Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence (Central Nova) Latest stage: Second reading Legislative

summary <div>A legislative

summary is currently being prepared for this bill by the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament. Meanwhile, the following executive

summary is available.<br/>On June 16 2010, the Minister of National Defence introduced Bill C-41, Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, in the House of Commons and it was given first reading.<br/><br/>The bill amends the National Defence Act to strengthen military justice following the report of the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Right Honourable Antonio Lamer, and the May report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

Among other things it:<br/>• Provides for security of tenure for military judges until their retirement and permits the appointment of part-time military judges.<br/>• Specifies the purposes, objectives and principles of the sentencing process.<br/>• Provides for additional sentencing options, including absolute discharges, intermittent sentences and restitution.<br/>• Modifies the composition of a court martial panel according to the rank of the accused person.<br/>• Modifies the limitation period applicable to

summary trials and allows an accused person to waive the limitation periods.<br/>• Sets out the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal’s duties and functions and clarifies his or her responsibilities.

It also changes the name of the Canadian Forces Grievance Board to the Military Grievances External Review Committee.<br/>• Makes amendments to the delegation of the Chief of the Defence Staff’s powers as the final authority in the grievance process.</div> House of Commons — First reading: Completed (2010-06-16) House of Commons — Second reading: Completed (2010-12-06) House of Commons — Consideration in committee: Completed (2011-03-24) House of Commons — Report stage: No activity LEGISinfo: https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/40-3/c-41