Lexbox Tip: Track Legislative Changes with Amendment Alerts

Did you know that Lexbox, the free online legal workspace, allows users to set up amendment alerts on CanLII to receive notification that a piece of legislation has changed?

All you need is a free Lexbox account and then sign up for amendment alerts by selecting a piece of legislation on CanLII. Click on the “Set up amendment alert” button and save it to a folder in your Lexbox workspace.

Lexbox will track amendments to the Act and notify you when there are updates. You can receive daily or weekly email alerts, or when you sign in to the Lexbox platform.

Lexbox will even tell you the estimated number of alerts you can expect. For example, 3 alerts per year are expected for The Public Schools Act.

Using amendment alerts with Lexbox is a great way to stay on top of changes to key statutes and regulations for your practice.

Find out more about Lexbox here.

Legislative Update – New Proclamation

The Government has issued the following Proclamation:

The Public Schools Amendment and Manitoba Teacher’s Society Amendment Act, S.M. 2021, c. 39

This Bill amends The Public Schools Act to establish centralized collective bargaining for teachers who are employed in the public school system. 

[…] The Manitoba Teachers’ Society Act is amended to require the society to establish a negotiating committee to carry out the society’s duties and powers for centralized collective bargaining for teachers.

The legislative amendments create a streamlined bargaining framework where all items are negotiated at a central table between the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) on behalf of all teachers’ associations and the employer bargaining representative on behalf of the employers’ organization.

For a current list of all proclamations, see here.

Legislative Update – Proclamations

Several new proclamations were signed last month with many of them coming into effect soon.

ChapterTitle     (provisions)Date in forceDate signedProclamation
SM 2021, c. 14The Pension Benefits Amendment Act subsection 10(1), section 11 and clause 17(a)20 Dec 202115 Dec 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 40The Court Practice and Administration Act (Various Acts Amended) Parts 4 and 71 Jan 202215 Dec 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 40The Court Practice and Administration Act (Various Acts Amended) Part 51 Feb 202215 Dec 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 51The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act (2) whole Act17 Dec 202115 Dec 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 15The Regional Health Authorities Amendment Act (Health System Governance and Accountability) subsections 91(1) and (17) to (22) and clauses 91(23)(b) to (d)1 Jan 20221 Dec 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 26The Municipal Statutes Amendment Act Part 21 Jan 20221 Dec 2021Proclamation

See here for all current proclamations.

Legislative Update

Introduced

Government Bills

Bill 1 An Act respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office (Formal Bill)

Bill 2 The Public Services Sustainability Repeal Act – repeals The Public Services Sustainability Act (which is unproclaimed) and three other legislative references to it.

Bill 4 The Path to Reconciliation Amendment Act – amends The Path to Reconciliation Act to include references to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In addition to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls are to guide the Government of Manitoba’s commitment to reconciliation.

Bill 5 The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act – amends The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Act to add the polar bear as one of the designated mammal emblems of Manitoba. The plains bison was previously designated in 2014.

Bill 7 The Police Services Amendment Act (Enhancing Independent Investigation Unit Operations) – makes a number of amendments to The Police Services Act that deal with the operation of the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU), which is responsible for investigating police officer conduct.

Private Bills

Bill 200The Orange Shirt Day Statutory Holiday Act (Various Acts Amended) – This Bill recognizes Orange Shirt Day, September 30, as a provincial statutory holiday for the purposes of The Employment Standards Code and The Interpretation Act.

Bill 201 The Regional Health Authorities Amendment Act – amends The Regional Health Authorities Act to require annual reports of health authorities to be tabled in the Assembly and referred to the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development. The Standing Committee must consider each report within 120 days.

Bill 202 The Louis Riel Act – This Bill bestows the honorary title of “First Premier of Manitoba” on Louis Riel. The Bill requires the Manitoba education curriculum to include the significant contributions of Louis Riel.

Bill 203 The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act – Access zones are created for clinics and facilities that provide abortion services and for service providers. Certain activities are prohibited within these zones. Certain activities are prohibited on school sites and within 50 metres of school sites.

Bill 204 The Protest Buffer Zone Act (COVID-19 Restrictions) – This Bill establishes The Protest Buffer Zone Act (COVID-19 Restrictions). Buffer zones are created with certain activities prohibited within these buffer zones. 

Bill 205 The Filipino Heritage Month Act – proclaims the month of June of each year as Filipino Heritage Month.

Bill 207 The Criminal Property Forfeiture Amendment Act – Enables the money in the criminal property forfeiture fund to instead go to non-profit community organizations for social programs, such as affordable housing and restorative justice.

Second Reading

Bill 3 The Family Maintenance Amendment Act – replaces Part II of The Family Maintenance Act to establish new rules respecting the parentage of children conceived through assisted reproduction, including where a surrogate is used.

Bill 6 The Workers Compensation Amendment ActThe Workers Compensation Act lists specific illnesses and injuries presumed to be caused by firefighting, unless the contrary is proven. This Bill expands the list to include primary site thyroid, pancreatic, ovarian, cervical and penile cancers.


Proclamations

ChapterTitle     (provisions)Date in forceDate signedProclamation
SM 2021, c. 38The Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Amendment Act (whole Act)13 Dec 202124 Nov 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 30The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2020 (subsections 25(3) and (4))1 Dec 202110 Nov 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 27The Human Rights Code Amendment Act (whole Act)1 Jan 202227 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 28The Administrative Tribunal Jurisdiction Act (whole Act)1 Jan 202227 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 36The Planning Amendment and City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment Act (various sections29 Oct 202127 Oct 2021Proclamation

See here for the status of all current bills.


Legislative Update

Latest News Releases

Manitoba Government is Modernizing the Family Maintenance Act November 3, 2021 – ” …changes to the Family Maintenance Act to include parentage legislation for children conceived through assisted reproduction with or without surrogacy.”

Manitoba Proclaims Legislation to Promote Timely Resolution of Human Rights Complaints November 2, 2021 – “The legislative changes set out in the Human Rights Code Amendment Act will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022”

Province Proclaims New Legislation to Repeal and Replace the Limitations Act November 2, 2021 – “Statutory limitations ensure that a person can no longer seek the assistance of the court to enforce a legal right after a certain period. This legislation will clarify statutory limitations for the various causes of action in Manitoba.”

Recent Proclamations

ChapterTitle     (provisions)Date in forceDate signedProclamation
SM 2021, c. 27The Human Rights Code Amendment Act (whole Act)1 Jan 202227 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 28The Administrative Tribunal Jurisdiction Act (whole Act)1 Jan 202227 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 36The Planning Amendment and City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment Act (various sections)29 Oct 202127 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 44The Limitations Act (whole Act)30 Sep 202227 Oct 2021Proclamation

Legislative Update – End of Fall Session

Government Concludes Fall Legislative Session, Focused on Protecting Manitobans, Advancing Manitoba (News Release) – “The fall sitting of the third session of the 42nd legislature has concluded, having completed the final stages of implementing Budget 2021 and passing important legislation to protect and improve the services Manitobans rely on, Premier and government house leader Kelvin Goertzen announced today.”

New Bills

Introduced

Bill 76 The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act – amends The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Act to add the polar bear as one of the designated mammal emblems of Manitoba. The plains bison was previously designated in 2014.

Bill 77 The Appropriation Act, 2021

Bill 78 The Loan Act, 2021

Bill 239 The Protest Buffer Zone Act (COVID-19 Restrictions)

Bill 241 The Consumer Protection Amendment and Farm Machinery and Equipment Amendment Act (Right to Repair — Vehicles and Other Equipment) – amends The Consumer Protection Act and The Farm Machinery and Equipment Act. A manufacturer must make the items necessary to maintain and repair its vehicle, farm equipment and machinery available to purchasers and repair businesses at a reasonable price. If a manufacturer does not make the necessary items available, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle, farm equipment or machinery at no charge or refund the purchase price.


See here for that status of all current bills.


Proclamations

ChapterTitle     (provisions)Date in forceDate signedProclamation
SM 2021, c. 30The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2020 (sections 20 and 22 to 24)18 Oct 202113 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 40The Court Practice and Administration Act (Various Acts Amended) (Part 2)15 Oct 202113 Oct 2021Proclamation
SM 2021, c. 40The Court Practice and Administration Act (Various Acts Amended) (Parts 1 and 3)1 Jan 202213 Oct 2021Proclamation