Department of Justice

BILL LIMITING ACCESS TO RECORDS IN CASES OF SEXUAL OFFENCE COMES INTO FORCE

OTTAWA, May 9, 1997 -- An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (production of records in sexual offence proceedings) comes into force May 12. This legislation is intended to ensure that only relevant documents from the complainants' and witnesses' personal and confidential records are made available to the accused.

Sexual assault centres and other counselling services had reported that routine access to a wide range of personal documents was having a serious impact on complainants' willingness to report sexual offences and seek therapy essential to their recovery.

This Act establishes the procedures to determine the release of records. These include a review process in which the trial judge examines the records or part of the records in private, to determine whether any part of the record should be produced to the accused.

The Act received Royal Assent on April 25, 1997 and is now chapter 30 of the Statutes of Canada, 1997.

 Ref.: Irène Arseneau           Catherine Kane
       Department of Justice    Department of Justice
       (613) 957-4207           (613) 957-4690