How Laws Are Made and Who Influences Them

From idea to law

A group of students notices that the crosswalk outside their school is dangerous. They start a petition, talk to their MPP and get local news coverage. Months later, an MPP introduces a bill to raise fines in school zones. Will it become law? That depends on a careful, public process, and on who else tries to influence it.

Laws can begin with ministers, backbench MPs, senators, court rulings, interest groups, international agreements or ordinary citizens. But every law has to go through the same steps.

Federal: how a bill becomes law

Who can introduce a bill?

• Government bills are introduced by a minister and reflect the government's plans.
• Private members' bills are introduced by MPs who are not ministers; fewer of them pass.
• Senate bills can start in the Senate, but bills to raise taxes or spend public money must start in the House of Commons and be introduced by the government.

The stages (in each house):

1. First reading: the bill is introduced and printed. No debate.
2. Second reading: members debate the principle (the main idea) and vote.
3. Committee stage: a committee studies the bill clause by clause, hears witnesses (experts, groups, citizens) and may amend it.
4. Report stage: the whole House considers the committee's changes and may amend further.
5. Third reading: final debate and vote.

The bill then goes through similar stages in the Senate. If the Senate amends it, the House must agree to the changes. Finally, the Governor General (or a deputy) gives Royal Assent, and the bill becomes an act. Some acts come into force right away; others on a set date.

Ontario: one house

Ontario's legislature has one elected house, so a bill gets first reading, second reading, committee, third reading, then Royal Assent from the Lieutenant Governor. Government bills usually pass when the government has a majority, but committees still hear the public and can make changes.

Amending an existing law

To change a law, a legislature passes a new bill that amends the old act, going through the same stages. Large bills that amend many acts at once are sometimes called omnibus bills. Governments can also change regulations (detailed rules made under an act) without a vote of the legislature, as long as the act allows it. Municipal councils pass and amend bylaws by a vote of council.

Who influences government policy?

Domestic influences

• Voters, especially at election time, and through polls that politicians watch closely.
• Interest groups and advocacy organizations: business associations, labour unions, environmental groups, professional bodies (such as doctors' or teachers' organizations), charities and community groups.
• Lobbyists: people paid to communicate with officials. Federally they must register in the public Registry of Lobbyists, overseen by the Commissioner of Lobbying; Ontario has a similar registry overseen by its Integrity Commissioner.
• Think tanks that publish research to shape debate, from many points of view.
• The media and social media, which decide what issues get attention.
• Petitions: a House of Commons e-petition that gathers at least 500 signatures can be presented in the House, and the government must respond.
• Courts: a Charter ruling can require a government to change a law.
• Other governments: provinces, municipalities and Indigenous governments press each other for funding and changes.

Foreign and international influences

• Foreign governments, through diplomacy and trade. For example, when the United States placed tariffs on some Canadian goods in 2025, Canadian governments responded with their own policy measures, such as counter-tariffs and support for affected workers and businesses.
• Trade agreements, such as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which limit or shape what policies Canada can adopt.
• International organizations and treaties, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and NATO, where Canada has made commitments.
• Global companies and markets, which respond to Canada's tax and regulatory choices.

Open, legal influence like this is a normal part of democracy. Remember Lesson 3: influence becomes interference when it is secret, deceptive or threatening.

How policy affects your life and the economy

Policy is not abstract. Some examples:

• Minimum wage rules (provincial) set the lowest pay for many teenagers' first jobs.
• Tariffs and trade rules (federal) affect the price of goods in stores and jobs in industries that export, such as auto parts or steel.
• School policies (provincial), such as the cellphone rule or graduation requirements, shape your school day.
• Zoning bylaws (municipal) decide whether new housing, stores or parks can be built near you.
• Interest rates set independently by the Bank of Canada affect mortgage and loan costs. (The Bank of Canada is a federal institution, but it makes these decisions independently of politicians.)

Economists talk about trade-offs: a policy that helps one group may cost another, now or in the future.