How does a bill become a law?

Don’t trust Schoolhouse Rock – that’s for Americans. To become a law, a bill in the Canada’s Parliament needs to go through the following steps, and pass when voted on during each step:

• It all starts with the first reading, when the bill is introduced.
• Next comes the second reading, when other MPs or Senators get to debate the bill.
• After that, the bill goes to a committee that studies and amends it line-by-line. Once they finish, the bill goes returns to the House or Senate for the report stage, where anyone can propose amendments.
• The third reading is the moment of truth: no more changes, just a debate and a final vote on whether or not the bill should pass.
• If a bill makes it through all of those steps – in both the House of Commons and Senate – it’s ready to get Royal Assent and become a law.