Question Period Note: Governor General Special Warrents

The 44th Parliament dissolved before supply for the 2025–26 fiscal year was approved.
How were government operations able to continue through Governor General Special
Warrants?

•Special warrants were necessary to provide short-term
funding to maintain government operations.
• The Government of Canada continues to operate and
provide ongoing services to Canadians during an election.
• Because Parliament does not sit during an election and is
therefore unable to approve appropriation bills, Special
Warrants can be used to provide short-term funding for the
normal operations of government.
• The Governor General issued two such special warrants on
April 1 and May 2.
• For transparency and accountability, every Special Warrant
is published in the Canada Gazette within the 30 days of its
issuance. The first Warrant was published on April 12 and
the second on May 31.
•As well, within the 15 days following Parliament's
resumption, the government tables a report in the House of
Commons showing all the special warrants that were issued.

Governor General Special Warrants are the established instrument for obtaining supply when Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election. As such, Special Warrants make it possible for the core operations of government to continue even though Parliament is not sitting, and the normal supply process has been interrupted. Usage of Special Warrants is governed by section 30 of the Financial Administration Act.
To ensure that the use of Special Warrants is transparent, the government must publish the details of each Special Warrant in the Canada Gazette within 30 days of issuance. Additionally, the government must prepare and table a report informing Parliament and the public on the use of Special Warrants within 15 days following Parliament’s return.
Usage in 2025–26
The 44th Parliament was dissolved on March 23, 2025. At that time, Parliament had not yet approved any supply for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2025.
To allow government operations to continue, the Governor General approved the issue of two Special Warrants totaling $73.4 billion:
• A Special Warrant for $40.3 billion was issued on April 1, 2025. This amount was based on estimated requirements for the first 45 days of the fiscal year (to May 15). Details of this Special Warrant were published in the Canada Gazette, Volume 159, on April 12.
• A second Special Warrant, this one for $33.1 billion, was signed by the Governor General on May 2, 2025. This warrant was based on estimated expenditures for an additional 45 days (until June 29), which will allow time for Parliament to consider and vote on an appropriation act. Details of the second Special Warrant were published in the Canada Gazette on May 31.
Based on the announced May 26 opening of the 45th Parliament, a Statement on the use of Governor General Special Warrants will be prepared and deposited with the Clerk of the House (“back door tabled”) by June 9, 2025.
Organizational budgets shown in the Main Estimates include both amounts which have been provided by special warrants as well as amounts to be approved through an appropriation act. The $73.4 billion provided through special warrants will not be subject to a vote by Parliament.

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