This bill is from the 39th Parliament, 1st session, which ended in October 2007.
Mike Wallace Conservative
Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)
Dead, as of June 13, 2007
(This bill did not become law.)
This is from the published bill.
This enactment amends the DNA Identification Act to provide for the establishment of a human remains index and a missing persons index to help law enforcement agencies search for and identify persons reported missing.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-279s:
The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-279, An Act to amend the DNA Identification Act (establishment of indexes), as reported (with amendments) from the committee.
DNA Identification ActPrivate Members' Business
The Speaker Peter Milliken
The hon. member for Burlington is not present to move the order as announced in today's notice paper. Accordingly, the motion will be dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the order paper.
Suspension of sittingDNA Identification ActPrivate Members' Business
The Speaker Peter Milliken
The sitting is therefore suspended until noon.
(The sitting of the House was suspended at 11:03 a.m.)
The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-279, An Act to amend the DNA Identification Act (establishment of indexes), as reported (with amendments) from the committee.
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, throughout the debate on Bill C-279 many significant facts have been stated. There are nearly 100,000 missing persons in Canada every year. Over 6,000 missing person cases are currently unresolved, with an addition of over 450 new cases per year.
There are over 15,000 samples of unidentified DNA recovered from crime scenes across this country currently stored in the RCMP's national DNA data bank here in Ottawa.
As well, there are hundreds of sets of unidentified DNA from Jane and John Does found in morgues across Canada.
Given the need for a DNA data bank and the widespread support from Canadians, law enforcement professionals, the provincial and territorial governments, a DNA database for missing persons housed within the national DNA data bank is on the horizon. Bill C-279 helps make that possible.
The public safety committee recently studied Bill C-279 and referred it back to this House. The committee recognized our need for a national missing persons index, an MPI data bank, as soon as possible, and supported my bill in principle, but recognized that more work needs to be done.
That work is being done and experts will be back in the fall to testify before the committee.
I am happy to tell this House that the Minister of Public Safety himself has expressed interest in looking into this concept as a possible future government bill.
Members from all parties have acknowledged their support and the support in principle from their respective parties.
Canada is the DNA leader. It is known for pushing the technology, how it handles DNA, and how it will handle a DNA data bank. We should support Canada's commitment as a leader in DNA and set a great example for other countries to follow.
I would like to thank Lindsey's mother, Judy Peterson, for inspiring this bill and the Minister of Natural Resources who has worked tirelessly on this issue before I took it over.
Bill C-279 may not exist after today, but the concept will and I will continue to work hard with our government to make this happen. At this time I would seek the withdrawal of my bill, Bill C-279, An Act to amend the DNA Identification Act.
DNA Identification ActPrivate Members' Business
The Deputy Speaker Bill Blaikie
Pursuant to order made earlier today, Bill C-279, An Act to amend the DNA Identification Act (establishment of indexes) is withdrawn.
(Order discharged and bill withdrawn)