Julian’s bill toughens penalties for child abuse

OTTAWA –New Democrat Peter Julian (Burnaby-New Westminster) today tabled Bill C-484, which would increase the penalties for offences related to child pornography.

“While our Criminal Code does an efficient job of capturing the different forms of pornographic child abuse, we still need to send a strong message to the courts to treat these cases with the utmost severity. That is why my bill proposes to double the maximum sentences associated with most forms of child pornography,” said Mr. Julian.

Bill C-484 would increase the punishments for indictable offences of making and/or distribution of child pornography from ten years to 14 years. An indictable conviction for possessing and/or accessing child pornography would lead to a sentence of ten years from five. All summary convictions relating to child pornography would be met with a sentence of up to three years instead of eighteen months.

“Those who prey on vulnerable children are committing a grave crime of abuse against a helpless minor, which causes pain and trauma that lasts a lifetime for these victims. That is why we need to send a message that this serious crime will result in long-term penalties,” said Mr. Julian.

Statistics from the Office of Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime show that 58 per cent of child pornography victims are under the age of six. Commercial child-pornographic abuse is chronic and epidemic. Billions of dollars flow to this sick and illegal “industry.”

Sadly, Canada has been cited as the second largest location of online child abuse in the world.