This is a technical amendment. The motion would expand the application of the sexual activity evidence regime, which prohibits the use of evidence regarding a complainant's past sexual activity to support the twin myths: that the complainant is more likely to have consented to the sexual activity at issue or that they are less worthy of belief than in cases involving an offence under any act of Parliament that is of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose.
The sexual activity evidence regime in Bill C-16 would currently only apply to a Criminal Code offence that is of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose. This amendment would further protect victims of sexual offences by ensuring that the victims of offences that are of a sexual nature or committed for a sexual purpose, including offences in other federal statutes, would receive the same protections under the law.