An Act relating to railways

Bill S-1 (An Act relating to railways) is the Senate equivalent of Commons Bill C-1, a ceremonial pro-forma bill introduced at the start of every parliamentary session. Like C-1, S-1 is never debated and never proceeds past first reading. The convention asserts the Senate's independence: by introducing its own piece of legislation before turning to the government's Speech from the Throne, the Senate marks that it sets its own agenda. The Senate's choice of railways as the subject of its pro-forma bill dates to the 1860s when railway legislation was central to Confederation negotiations.