Chamber
senate
Stage
2nd Reading
Introduced
May 28, 2025
Progress
This bill officially recognizes the Canada jay as Canada's national bird.
Key Changes
- Officially designates the Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) as the national bird of Canada
- Fills a symbolic gap, as Canada currently has no official national bird unlike all its provinces, territories, and over 100 other countries
- Acknowledges the Canada jay's cultural significance to Indigenous peoples, including its Cree name 'wîskicahk'
- Creates a new named act: the National Bird of Canada Act
Gotchas
- The bill is purely symbolic and does not create any legal protections, funding, or enforcement mechanisms for the Canada jay
- The Canada jay is not currently listed as endangered, hunted, or a nuisance species, so the designation does not conflict with existing wildlife regulations
- The bill notes the Canada jay is not already an official symbol for any other country, province, territory, or state, making it exclusively available as a Canadian symbol
- A similar effort to name a national bird was previously undertaken through a public vote organized by Canadian Geographic in 2016, which the Canada jay won, but no legislation followed until now
Who's Affected
- All Canadians, as this adds a new national symbol
- Indigenous communities whose cultural heritage is referenced in the bill's preamble
- Naturalists, birdwatchers, and ornithologists who have advocated for this designation
- Tourism and national parks sectors that may use the symbol for promotion
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill is purely symbolic and does not create any legal protections, funding, or enforcement mechanisms for the Canada jay
- The Canada jay is not currently listed as endangered, hunted, or a nuisance species, so the designation does not conflict with existing wildlife regulations
- The bill notes the Canada jay is not already an official symbol for any other country, province, territory, or state, making it exclusively available as a Canadian symbol
- A similar effort to name a national bird was previously undertaken through a public vote organized by Canadian Geographic in 2016, which the Canada jay won, but no legislation followed until now
Summary
Bill S-221 is a short, symbolic piece of legislation that would make the Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) the official national bird of Canada. Currently, Canada is one of the few countries in the world — and the only G7 nation — without an officially recognized national bird, even though every Canadian province and territory has one. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Ataullahjan and highlights the Canada jay's deep connection to Canadian history and geography. The bird lives year-round across all ten provinces and three territories, thrives in cold climates, and has historical ties to Indigenous peoples, explorers, and settlers. It is also known by names like 'whiskey jack,' derived from the Cree word 'wîskicahk.' The bill is largely ceremonial and does not create new laws, regulations, or spending. Its purpose is to give Canada a recognized national symbol, similar to how the maple leaf, beaver, and hockey are associated with Canadian identity.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses