KEY CHILD PROTECTION REFORMS AND VOYEURISM OFFENCES TO COME INTO EFFECT

OTTAWA , October 26, 2005 – Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today announced that offence and sentencing reforms under Bill C-2 – comprehensive legislation to better protect children and other vulnerable victims from harm – will come into full force and effect as of November 1, 2005 .

"By strengthening our existing child protection laws, which are already among the most comprehensive in the world, the Government of Canada is sending a clear message with Bill C-2: Children must be protected against all forms of abuse and exploitation and sentences in these cases must reflect the seriousness of harming a child," said Minister Cotler. "Having these reforms come into force will be good for law enforcement, good for the administration of justice – and most importantly – good for children."

The Criminal Code amendments under Bill C-2 taking effect on November 1, 2005 and focussed on child protection are those that:

• Amend child pornography provisions, by increasing penalties, prohibiting advertising, broadening the definition and creating a clearer, narrower, harms-based "legitimate purpose" defence;
• Add a new category to the offence of sexual exploitation of youth (aged 14-18) to better protect young persons from those who would prey on their vulnerability;
• Increase penalties for child sexual offences, for failing to provide the necessaries of life and for abandoning a child;
• Make child abuse an aggravating factor for the purpose of sentencing.

In addition to child protection measures, Bill C-2 establishes new voyeurism offences to prohibit the secret viewing or recording of another person when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in three specific situations, and to prohibit the intentional distribution of a voyeuristic material. The voyeurism offences will also come into force on November 1, 2005 .

A series of other key reforms in Bill C-2 – those to facilitate testimony by child and other vulnerable victims and witnesses – will come into force on January 2, 2006 .

Bill C-2 received Royal Assent on July 20, 2005 . Coming-into-force dates were finalized in consultation with the provinces and territories. For an online version of the legislation, visit www.parl.gc.ca.

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