An Act to establish the Department of Canadian Heritage and to amend and repeal certain other ActsDepartment of Canadian Heritage ActDepartment of Canadian Heritage19956
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C-17.3111995Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:Short Title
Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Department of Canadian Heritage Act.
Establishment of the Department
Department establishedThere is hereby established a department of the Government of Canada called the Department of Canadian Heritage over which the Minister of Canadian Heritage, appointed by commission under the Great Seal, shall preside.MinisterThe Minister holds office during pleasure and has the management and direction of the Department.
Deputy headThe Governor in Council may appoint an officer called the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage to hold office during pleasure and to be the deputy head of the Department.
Powers, Duties and Functions of the Minister
Minister’s powers, duties and functionsThe powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not by law assigned to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to Canadian identity and values, cultural development and heritage.IdemThe Minister’s jurisdiction referred to in subsection (1) encompasses, but is not limited to, jurisdiction overthe promotion of a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values;multiculturalism;the arts, including cultural aspects of the status of the artist;cultural heritage and industries, including performing arts, visual and audio-visual arts, publishing, sound recording, film, video and literature;national battlefields;the encouragement, promotion and development of sport;the advancement of the equality of status and use of English and French and the enhancement and development of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada;state ceremonial and Canadian symbols;broadcasting, except in respect of spectrum management and the technical aspects of broadcasting;the formulation of cultural policy, including the formulation of cultural policy as it relates to foreign investment and copyright;the conservation, exportation and importation of cultural property;the organization, sponsorship and promotion of public activities and events, in the National Capital Region as defined in section 2 of the National Capital Act, that will enrich the cultural and social fabric of Canada, taking into account the federal character of Canada, the equality of status of the official languages of Canada and the heritage of the people of Canada; andnational museums, archives and libraries.1995, c. 11, s. 4; 2002, c. 18, s. 32(F); 2003, c. 2, s. 37; 2005, c. 2, s. 1; 2013, c. 33, s. 214
General dutiesIn exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions assigned to the Minister by section 4, the Minister shallinitiate, recommend, coordinate, implement and promote national policies, projects and programs with respect to Canadian identity and values, cultural development and heritage; andwith respect to the Minister’s jurisdiction referred to in paragraph 4(2)(k.1), coordinate the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting the organization, sponsorship or promotion by departments of public activities and events related to the National Capital Region as defined in section 2 of the National Capital Act.1995, c. 11, s. 5; 2005, c. 2, s. 2; 2013, c. 33, s. 215
Agreements
Other powersIn exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions under this Act, the Minister may enter into agreements with the government of any province or any agency thereof.
General
Financial assistance and dealing with propertyTo facilitate the implementation of any program of the Minister under this Act, the Minister mayprovide financial assistance in the form of grants, contributions and endowments to any person;subject to the Federal Real Property and Federal Immovables Act and any direction made by the Treasury Board,acquire or seek to acquire any property by way of gift, bequest or other form of donation, andsubject to the Surplus Crown Assets Act and to the terms and conditions on which the property was acquired, hold, administer, invest, expend, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of that property; andmake gifts and issue prizes, awards, souvenirs and mementos on behalf of the Department of Canadian Heritage or of any other department.1995, c. 11, s. 7; 2001, c. 4, s. 155
Funding — test casesTo promote a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values, the Minister may take measures to provide funding to an organization, independent of the Government of Canada, responsible for administering a program whose purpose is to provide funding for test cases of national significance to be brought before the courts to clarify and assert constitutional human rights.2023, c. 15, s. 52
Fees for services or use of facilitiesThe Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix the fees to be paid for a service or the use of a facility provided by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.Amount not to exceed costFees for a service or the use of a facility that are fixed under subsection (1) may not exceed the cost to Her Majesty in right of Canada of providing the service or the use of the facility.
Fees for products, rights and privilegesThe Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix fees in respect of products, rights and privileges provided by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.
Fees in respect of regulatory processes, etc.The Minister may, subject to any regulations that the Treasury Board may make for the purposes of this section, fix fees in respect of regulatory processes or approvals provided by the Minister, the Department or any board or agency of the Government of Canada for which the Minister has responsibility.AmountFees that are fixed under subsection (1) shall in the aggregate not exceed an amount sufficient to compensate Her Majesty in right of Canada for any reasonable outlays incurred by Her Majesty for the purpose of providing the regulatory processes or approvals.
ConsultationBefore fixing a fee under section 8, 9 or 10, the Minister shall consult with such persons or organizations as the Minister considers to be interested in the matter.PublicationThe fees that are fixed under section 8, 9 or 10 shall be published once every calendar year in the Canada Gazette and by such appropriate electronic or other means that the Treasury Board may authorize by regulation and any change in those fees shall be published within thirty days after its effective date in the Canada Gazette and by such appropriate electronic or other means that the Treasury Board may authorize by regulation.Reference to Scrutiny CommitteeAny fee fixed under section 8, 9 or 10 shall stand referred to the Committee referred to in section 19 of the Statutory Instruments Act to be reviewed and scrutinized as if it were a statutory instrument.
Power to make regulationsThe Treasury Board may make regulations for the purposes of sections 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Transitional
PositionsNothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the status of an employee who, immediately before the coming into force of this subsection, occupieda position in that portion of the public service in the Department of the Environment referred to in clause (a)(i)(A) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1489 of June 25, 1993,a position in that portion of the public service in the Department of National Health and Welfare referred to in clause (a)(i)(B) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1489 of June 25, 1993,a position in the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada other thanin the portions referred to in clause (a)(i)(B) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1484 of June 25, 1993, andin the portions referred to in clause (a)(i)(A) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1488 of June 25, 1993, known as the Student Assistance Branch and the Office of the Assistant Under Secretary of State (Social Development and Regional Operations), including the Education Support Branch, except forthe Native Citizens Directorate,the Canadian Studies and Special Projects Directorate, andthe Youth Participation Directorate,a position in the Department of Communications other than in the portions referred to in clause (a)(i)(B) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1487 of June 25, 1993, Order in Council P.C. 1993-1670 of August 18, 1993 and clause (a)(i)(A) of Order in Council P.C. 1993-1484 of June 25, 1993, ora position in the Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship,except that the employee shall, on the coming into force of this subsection, occupy their position in the Department of Canadian Heritage under the authority of the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage.Definition of “employee”In this section, employee has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act.
Transfer of appropriationsAny amount appropriated, for the fiscal year in which this section comes into force, by an appropriation Act based on the Estimates for that year for defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada within the Department of Communications or the Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship and that, on the day on which this section comes into force, is unexpended, is deemed, on that day, to be an amount appropriated for defraying the charges and expenses of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Transfer of powers, duties and functionsWherever under any Act of Parliament, any instrument made under an Act of Parliament or any order, contract, lease, licence or other document, any power, duty or function is vested in or exercisable by any of the persons referred to in subsection (2) in relation to any matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of Canadian Heritage extend by virtue of this Act, that power, duty or function is vested in or exercisable by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage or the appropriate officer of the Department of Canadian Heritage, as the case may be, unless the Governor in Council by order designates another Minister, Deputy Minister or officer of the public service of Canada to exercise that power, duty or function.PersonsFor the purposes of subsection (1), the persons arethe Minister of the Environment, the Minister of National Health and Welfare, the Minister of State (Multiculturalism and Citizenship), the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship, the Secretary of State of Canada and the Minister of Communications;the Deputy Minister of the Environment, the Deputy Minister of National Health and Welfare, the Deputy Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship, the Under-Secretary of State and the Deputy Minister of Communications; andany officer of the Department of the Environment, the Department of National Health and Welfare, the Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship, the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada and the Department of Communications.
Related Amendments
[Amendments]
References
[Amendments]
Other referencesEvery reference made to the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship and the Secretary of State of Canada in relation to any matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of Canadian Heritage extend by virtue of this Act, in any other Act of Parliament or in any order, regulation or other instrument made under any Act of Parliament shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be read as a reference to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
References to Department of Communications, Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship or Department of the Secretary of State of CanadaEvery reference made to the Department of Communications, the Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship or the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada, in relation to any matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of Canadian Heritage extend by virtue of this Act, in any other Act of Parliament or in any order, regulation or other instrument made under any Act of Parliament shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be read as a reference to the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Repeals
[Repeals]
Coming into Force
Coming into forceThis Act or any provision of this Act or any provision of any Act amended by this Act comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.[Note: Act in force July 12, 1996, see SI/96-68.]
RELATED PROVISIONS — 2013, c. 33, s. 216
DefinitionsThe following definitions apply in sections 217 to 220.activity and event mandate means the organization, sponsoring or promotion of any public activities and events, in the National Capital Region as defined in section 2 of the National Capital Act, that will enrich the cultural and social fabric of Canada. (mandat en matière d’activités et de manifestations)Commission means the National Capital Commission continued by section 3 of the National Capital Act. (Commission)
 — 2013, c. 33, s. 217
Appointment of employeesEvery employee of the Commission whose functions relate to the activity and event mandate is deemed, on the day on which this section comes into force, to be a person appointed to a position in the Department of Canadian Heritage under the Public Service Employment Act and to be an employee as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act.
 — 2013, c. 33, s. 218
Credits transferredAny money that is appropriated by an Act of Parliament for the fiscal year in which this section comes into force to defray any expenditures of the Commission related to the activity and event mandate and that is unexpended is deemed to have been appropriated to defray any operating expenditures of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
 — 2013, c. 33, s. 219
Assets, obligations and authorizationsOn the day on which this section comes into force, and to the extent that they relate to the activity and event mandate,the Commission’s assets are transferred to Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage;the Commission’s obligations are assumed by Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage;permits, licences and other authorizations issued to the Commission are transferred to Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage; andpermits, licences and other authorizations issued by the Commission are deemed to have been issued by Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
 — 2013, c. 33, s. 220
Continuation of legal proceedingsAny action, suit or other legal proceeding to which the Commission is party that is pending in any court on the day on which this section comes into force and that relates to the activity and event mandate may be continued by or against Her Majesty in right of Canada in the same manner and to the same extent as it could have been continued by or against the Commission.
2023, c. 152023-06-20