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MEASURES TO MODERNIZE THE CRIMINAL CODE INTRODUCED
OTTAWA, December 14, 1995 -- Allan Rock, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today introduced a bill containing almost 150 amendments to the Criminal Code and related statutes.
"This initiative completes a series of significant criminal law reforms begun in June, 1994 with the introduction of a similar bill, C-42," said Minister Rock. "These changes will help to modernize the law, streamline court proceedings
and improve Canada's justice system. They will save time and reduce costs without diminishing in any way the high standards for which the Canadian justice sytstem is known. They illustrate further progress on the government's Safe Homes/Safe
Streets agenda."
Some highlights of the bill include:
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* A series of changes which will fine-tune proceeds of crime legislation. These changes build on other government initiatives and will help police in the investigation and prosecution of international and domestic money laundering by
organized crime and drug traffickers;
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* Several changes to address computer crime, credit card forgery and fraud and fraudulently obtaining services;
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* Two proposals to tighten up impaired driving provisions; and
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* An addition to the current "joy-riding" offence that would create a new summary conviction offence for knowingly being a passenger in a stolen motor vehicle.
The bill also contains many proposals that would improve administrative and procedural matters. For example, proceedings would be streamlined and time and money saved through the use of information technology such as video-conferencing, telewarrants
and "playing-in" evidence from previous proceedings on audio or video tapes rather than "reading" it into the record. Expert witness affidavits also would be permitted, thereby negating the need for personal appearances in some
cases and improving the handling of some evidence issues.
Ref.: Cyrus Reporter Fred Bobiasz
Minister's Office Policy Sector
(613) 992-4621 (613) 957-4733
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