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Amendments to Canadian Law to Prevent Pederasty Likely to be Defeated by MPs Wednesday

Pro-Family groups will note individual MP votes on 2 items raising age of consent for sex

OTTAWA, September 27, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Canada is notorious for having one of the lowest ages of consent for sexual activity in the world at age 14, while the international standard is minimally 16 and 18 in many nations.  Despite Canada's growing reputation as a haven for pedophiles two separate measures seeking to raise the age of consent, scheduled for a vote tomorrow, are likely to be rejected.

Bill C-313 (http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/priva... ) submitted by Alberta Conservative MP Rick Casson will be voted on second reading tomorrow.  Presenting his bill in May, Casson explained, "The Criminal Code of Canada, as exists today, provides tacit approval for sexual relations between adults and adolescents as young as 14 as long as the sexual relations are consensual and the adult is not in a position of authority or trust over the minor. The same Criminal Code also excuses adults who have sexual relations with children as young as 12 years of age as long as the adult involved was under the impression that the minor was at least 14 years of age, the sexual relation was consensual and there was no abuse of position of authority or trust."

Also tomorrow, Motion M-221, a Private Members Motion from Nina Grewal, Conservative MP from British Columbia, asks Parliament to raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years old. 

If the bill passes second reading it will be sent to committee and eventually come for a final vote.  The motion would show the will of the House to amend the law, which would be followed by legislation.

International human rights activists are keeping a close eye on tomorrow's vote but don't expect any progress as Canada's ruling elite is known to be lax, at best, on child protection.  Gregory Carlin of the Irish Anti-Trafficking Coalition told LifeSiteNews.com, "'The age of consent issue has to be internationalized.  The contempt for the rights of the child shown by the government of Canada has to be condemned."

The likelihood that C-313 will fail is shocking particularly considering the bill's author is open to committee revisions to permit a "close in age exemption" which would thus render the bill halting adults from sexually preying on children.  Nonetheless, homosexual activist groups such as EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) are against raising the age of consent, and in fact are demanding that the age of consent for anal sex be lowered from 18.  (see the EGALE submission to government on the subject http://www.egale.ca/index.asp?lang=E&menu=37&item=34... )

Even "pro-gay" feminists have called on gay groups to distance themselves from efforts to lower the age of consent.  Writing in the UK Guardian newspaper in 2001, Julie Blindel points out, "If gay men are going to, on the one hand, campaign for sexual access to younger and younger boys, but bleat about public perceptions of them as a league of child abusers, is it any wonder that the whole thing is such a mess?"  Blindel concludes, "If gay men are serious about distancing themselves from child sexual abuse, then it's up to them to make some real efforts to join forces against this gross violation."  (see Blindel's piece here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4145251,00.... )

The IATC's Carlin concurs, "If gays are going to campaign (by way of zero change), for sexual access to young boys, they may lose the right in the eyes of many people to complain about the perceptions associated with their choice".

Despite the gravity of the lack of protection from sexual exploitation for Canadian children, political experts are predicting most MPs will vote against the proposals.  However, political activist groups will be watching the votes closely to note which MPs are concerned with stopping sexual abuse of children by adults and which are not.

Campaign Life Coalition National President Jim Hughes told LifeSiteNews.com, "We will be using these votes in the voting records of MPs in our upcoming report cards of MPs." The report cards demonstrate how MPs voted on key issues related to life and family issues. Hughes and other pro-family leaders maintain that Wednesday's votes will provide a straightforward assessment of an MP's integrity and worthiness to hold public office.

A poll conducted in 2002 found that 80% of Canadians believe that the federal government should raise the age of consent from 14 years to at least 16 years

jhw

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