OTTAWA, April 15, 2002 (LSN.ca) Thursday, in the House of Commons, Larry Spencer, Alliance Family Issues Critic, made a strong case for raising the legal age of sexual consent. During Question Period, Spencer raised questions with Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice, asking when the Minister would do the right thing and raise the legal age of sexual consent.
Mr. Spencer argued that 14-year-old children are too young to drive, consume alcohol, smoke or vote and yet the law irresponsibly provides that these same children can legally consent to sexual relations. In a release Spencer said he believes that it is unacceptable that a 14-year-old grade nine student is considered old enough and fair game for sexual activity with, say, a 40-year-old adult.
A 1999 Department of Justice report states that “the present age of consent is too low to provide effective protection from sexual exploitation by adults.” Additionally, last year both the provincial Justice Ministers and the Canadian Police Association passed resolutions calling on the federal government to raise the age of consent for sexual activity to at least 16. The Canadian sexual consent age is one of the lowest in the western developed world and has been especially used by homosexual adults to legitimize sexual activity with youths.
See the questions in the Hansard at: https://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/166_2002-04-11/HAN166-E.htm#Int-194521