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National Bird of Canada Act

An Act to provide for the recognition of the Canada jay as the national bird of Canada

Summary

  • Recognizes and declares the Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) as the national bird of Canada.
  • Provides a formal national symbol where none previously existed, aligning with other countries that have official birds.
  • Intended to celebrate cultural and natural heritage; does not include funding, programs, or regulatory changes.
  • Potential indirect effects on tourism branding and national identity but no direct economic measures.

Builder Assessment

Neutral

The bill is almost entirely symbolic and has no direct bearing on economic growth, productivity, exports, or tax reform. While harmless and potentially positive for national identity, it does not advance Build Canada’s large-scale prosperity agenda.

  • Neutral across most tenets; does not create economic or policy changes.
  • Conflicts with the emphasis on large-scale, prosperity-focused action due to its purely symbolic nature.
  • To better align: pair the national bird designation with a nation-branding strategy that drives tourism exports, merchandise licensing, and international marketing; include measurable export and tourism targets; authorize low-cost revenue mechanisms (e.g., commemorative coin/stamp programs) with proceeds funding park infrastructure and wildlife tourism development; integrate Indigenous-led tourism and storytelling; require a federal branding toolkit for trade missions and destination marketing organizations.

Question Period Cards

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Principles Analysis

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Canada should aim to be the world's most prosperous country.

Purely symbolic designation with no direct impact on income, GDP, or wealth creation.

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Promote economic freedom, ambition, and breaking from bureaucratic inertia (reduce red tape).

Does not change regulations, freedoms, or administrative processes; symbolic only.

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Drive national productivity and global competitiveness.

No measures affecting productivity, costs, skills, or competition.

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Grow exports of Canadian products and resources.

At most, marginal nation-branding benefits; no direct export policy or support.

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Encourage investment, innovation, and resource development.

Contains no incentives, funding, or regulatory changes related to investment or innovation.

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Deliver better public services at lower cost (government efficiency).

Does not affect service delivery; fiscal impact is negligible but not efficiency-focused.

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Reform taxes to incentivize work, risk-taking, and innovation.

No tax provisions.

✗

Focus on large-scale prosperity, not incrementalism.

Symbolic gesture with no substantive economic impact; legislative time without prosperity outcomes.

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S-221

PartySenate
StatusAt second reading in the Senate
Last updatedMay 28, 2025
TopicsIndigenous Affairs, Culture and Heritage
Parliament45