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Email: "CANADIAN CHILD PROTECTION BILL RECEIVES MIXED REVIEWS"

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Many improvements but law remains "unfinished business" and is "too little too late" BY LifeSiteNews.com OTTAWA, December 6, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-family groups have expressed both praise and concern about the federal government’s newly proposed child pornography legislation, Bill C-20, introduced Wednesday by Justice Minister Martin Cauchon.  In a release today, REAL Women stated “The decision announced today by the Minister of Justice to remove the defence to a charge of child pornography that it had “artistic merit or an educational or medical purpose,” and replace it with the single defence that the work must be shown to serve the “public good,” is a vast improvement in the child pornography legislation”. However, the release emphasizes “it would have been far preferable to simply remove all defenses for child pornography.”  Likewise, Focus on the Family complains that the bill “does not completely eliminate the “artistic merit” defence successfully used by convicted child pornographers such as John Robin Sharpe.” Focus also notes that the fact that any action was taken by the government is due to “the sustained efforts of hundreds of thousands of concerned Canadians, along with MPs of all parties, who have been pressing the Justice Minister to get tough with people who prey on innocent children.”  Both groups are pleased with the creation of the new “sexual exploitation”  category of offence which “should provide some protection for children between 14 and 18 years of age from exploitative relationships by the manipulation of young people by older persons or pimps.”  All pro-family organizations have especially expressed disappointment that the government did not raise the age for sexual consent despite national campaigns to have this changed. That age still stands at 14, one of the lowest in the world. REAL Women concluded “The proposed amendments to the Criminal Code are an improvement, but the law on sexual offenses against young people remains as unfinished business.” See government release http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/2002/doc_30766.html See the bill http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/government/C-20/C-20_1/90207eE.html http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/canadian-child-protection-bill-receives-mixed-reviews/

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