Thanks very much, Mr. Dechert. You've shown a great deal of initiative in this regard yourself.
As you know, this legislation is in response to what I would call a relatively recent phenomenon. That's not to suggest, however, that this has happened just within the last year or more. We've seen an explosion of activity on the Internet, some of which is positive, but some of which is also very negative. Rehtaeh Parsons, Amanda Todd, Todd Loik, and other young people have fallen victim to severe forms of bullying, harassment, and intimidation.
There was a gap in the Criminal Code, quite frankly, that was enabling this type of nefarious activity to happen. We know that in many cases the harassment consisted of using intimate images to embarrass and really cause horrible, horrible psychological damage to some young people.
We have introduced one amendment to the Criminal Code, as part of this legislation, that would prohibit the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. In order to do that effectively, you also have to empower the police to have the tools to be able to collect evidence and, as you've alluded, ultimately enable the judges to issue orders that will take that damaging and embarrassing material off the web and in many cases force the offender, those responsible, to pay for it. That is what this legislation attempts to do.
Key to all of this, and what should be of great comfort to many, is that there is a requirement for judicial authorization for the police to pursue their investigation, to go online, to examine the material, to gain access to the evidence. They require that judicial oversight, much like a police officer does in investigations that don't involve the Internet.
We have an obligation, I would suggest, to end this type of harmful activity, to do all that we can. Having said that, it will require much more than just a Criminal Code amendment and empowering police. It's going to have to involve a wider education effort. It's going to clearly involve public education, speaking to young people in a frank and mature way so that they understand the consequences of hitting “send” and putting that material out there in the cyberworld, which has no boundaries, where it can be used and extrapolated for all kinds of other purposes.
This is legislation that will receive vigorous examination, including by this committee, I know. It's interesting to note that the Privacy Commissioner has also come out with very positive words about it, as early as today.
This legislation, I believe, will provide a major step forward in our effort to protect young people but protect Canadians generally.