Bill C-26 (Historical)

Tougher Penalties for Child Predators Act

An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act, to enact the High Risk Child Sex Offender Database Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

This bill was last introduced in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2015.

Sponsor

Peter MacKay  Conservative

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to
(a) increase mandatory minimum penalties and maximum penalties for certain sexual offences against children;
(b) increase maximum penalties for violations of prohibition orders, probation orders and peace bonds;
(c) clarify and codify the rules regarding the imposition of consecutive and concurrent sentences;
(d) require courts to impose, in certain cases, consecutive sentences on offenders who commit sexual offences against children; and
(e) ensure that a court that imposes a sentence must take into consideration evidence that the offence in question was committed while the offender was subject to a conditional sentence order or released on parole, statutory release or unescorted temporary absence.
It amends the Canada Evidence Act to ensure that spouses of the accused are competent and compellable witnesses for the prosecution in child pornography cases.
It also amends the Sex Offender Information Registration Act to increase the reporting obligations of sex offenders who travel outside Canada.
It enacts the High Risk Child Sex Offender Database Act to establish a publicly accessible database that contains information — that a police service or other public authority has previously made accessible to the public — with respect to persons who are found guilty of sexual offences against children and who pose a high risk of committing crimes of a sexual nature.
Finally, it makes consequential amendments to other Acts.

Elsewhere

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.

Votes

Nov. 24, 2014 Passed That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Justice and Human Rights Committee, on Feb. 2, 2015

  • Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
  • Peter Henschel, Deputy Commissioner, Specialized Policing Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Joe Oliver, Assistant Commissioner, Technical Operations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Nathalie Levman, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
  • Kathy Thompson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Safety and Countering Crime Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Angela Connidis, Director General, Crime Prevention, Corrections and Criminal Justice Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Matthias Villetorte, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice

Justice and Human Rights Committee, on Feb. 4, 2015

  • Monique St. Germain, General Counsel, Canadian Centre for Child Protection
  • Ellen Campbell, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness
  • David Butt, Legal Counsel, Kids' Internet Safety Alliance
  • Gregory Gilhooly, As an Individual
  • Steve Sullivan, Former Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, As an Individual
  • James Foord, Board Member, Circles of Support and Accountability
  • Susan Love, Program Coordinator, Circles of Support and Accountability

Justice and Human Rights Committee, on Feb. 16, 2015

  • Michael Spratt, Member, Former Director and Member of the Legislative Committee, Criminal Lawyers' Association
  • Gaylene Schellenberg, Staff Lawyer, Law Reform, Canadian Bar Association
  • Paul Calarco, Member, National Criminal Justice Section, Canadian Bar Association
  • Sheldon Kennedy, Lead Director, Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre
  • Sue O'Sullivan, Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime
  • Daniel Therrien, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  • Alain Fortier, President, Victimes d'agressions sexuelles au masculin
  • Frank Tremblay, Vice-President, Victimes d'agressions sexuelles au masculin
  • Stacey Hannem, Chair, Policy Review Committee, Canadian Criminal Justice Association

Justice and Human Rights Committee, on Feb. 18, 2015

  • Nathalie Levman, Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
  • Daryl Churney, Director, Corrections and Criminal Justice Division, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Commissioner Joe Oliver, Assistant Commissioner, Technical Operations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice