RCMP, Toronto Police Service and law enforcement from across Canada unite to fight the online sexual exploitation of children - Microsoft Canada President David Hemler and national police services join launch of Canadian-developed Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS)

Toronto (Ontario) – April 7, 2005 —A broad coalition of Canadian law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP and Toronto Police Service, the Canadian government and Microsoft Canada Co. today jointly launched the Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS). The official launch of CETS introduces a powerful new tool created by law enforcement for investigators to effectively battle the borderless crime of online child exploitation.

“Criminals are using the Internet at an unprecedented rate to exploit the most vulnerable of our society – our children,” said the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “I commend Canadian law enforcement and Microsoft Canada for their vision and leadership in creating a tool unlike any other in the world that will help keep our children safe from online predators.”

“CETS is a true example of integration among law enforcement and industry,” says RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli. “Taking this kind of integrated approach allows each player to bring their expertise and contribution to the table, producing a more effective response to these heinous crimes. We are now equipped with the tools to better protect children in Canada , from online predators.”

CETS is a database housed within the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC) that will serve as an information repository and an investigative tool in law enforcement’s fight against the online sexual exploitation of children. The concept for CETS originated in January 2003, when an officer from the Toronto Police Service, frustrated by the lack of technology available to help solve these crimes, e-mailed Bill Gates asking for help. In response, Microsoft Canada began working with the Toronto Police Service and the RCMP to explore how it could meet the needs of law enforcement.

CETS is the result of a broad collaboration between Microsoft Canada and Canadian law enforcement including the RCMP, Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and Sûreté du Québec and government agencies. The database will be adopted by several police forces across Canada .

“Prior to CETS, police services were manually sorting through files and photos, making it almost impossible to share information,” said Toronto Police Service Chief Designate, William Blair. “CETS is shifting the power of the Internet out of the hands of the predators and back to the police. In fact, we’ve already been successful in identifying one victim with CETS during the beta testing phase.”

A t the launch today, David Hemler, President, Microsoft Canada reinforced the corporation’s commitment bringing Microsoft’s total investment to more than $4.5 million to date. When the initiative began in 2003, Microsoft invested time, resources and technology to build the child exploitation system in partnership with law enforcement. As part of today’s announcement, Mr. Hemler also announced the creation of a Canadian project office that will assist in the ongoing deployment of CETS.

“Sharing and exchanging information is one of the most powerful tools law enforcement agencies possess to battle against online child exploitation,” said David Hemler, President, Microsoft Canada . “By collaborating with law enforcement and government agencies, we can use our combined expertise to better protect our children online.”  

About the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC):

The NCECC is a component of the RCMP’s National Police Services. As such, the Centre provides services to the entire law enforcement community. The NCECC is a national clearing house and coordination centre for all international requests to conduct investigations in Canada related to child sexual exploitation on the Internet. The NCECC helps develop policy and provides many levels of support to law enforcement investigators across Canada involved in files dealing with the sexual exploitation of children on the Internet.

About Microsoft Canada Co.

Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga , Ontario, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

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For more information, please contact:

• RCMP Media Relations - 613-993-2999

• On behalf of Microsoft Canada - 416-504-8464
  usanne@mediaprofile.com / Jenelle@mediaprofile.com

©2005 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.