Politics
Thursday September 29, 2005
Canadian Parliament Votes Against Raising Age of Consent for Sex from 14 to 16
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
OTTAWA, September 29, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an expected vote, but nevertheless shockingly outrageous to many observers, a strong majority of Canada's Members of Parliament rejected two proposals to raise the age of consent for sex from one of the lowest in the world at 14 to 16 - the norm in most of the world, with some nations even having it at 18.
Bill C-313, which would have raised the age of consent, was supported by 99 MPs, including all Conservative Party members and a few Liberals, while the New Democratic Party, the Bloc Quebecois, and the majority of Liberals combined to defeat the proposal with their opposing 167 votes. A similar motion, M-221, a Private Members Motion from Conservative MP Nina Grewal, was also heard yesterday and defeated by a vote of 100-169.
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, one of the fiercest opponents of the proposals, wanted to ensure 14 year olds were not prevented from engaging in sex. "We don't want to criminalize innocent sexual behaviour among teenagers and young people," Cotler said.
Cotler's intervention was roundly criticized, however, as being false since Conservative MP Rick Casson, who proposed the legislation, clearly stated he would be open to adding a near-in-age exception should the bill be approved to go to the committee stage.
LifeSiteNews.com will later publish the Campaign Life Coalition tally of the indidual MPs' votes on the bill and the motion.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Amendments to Canadian Law to Prevent Pederasty Likely to be Defeated by MPs Wednesday
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/sep/05092705.html
jhw
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 to 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Canadian MP Launches Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.