Mr. Speaker, the draft amendments to the Criminal Code and the Customs Tariff Act introduced by the Minister of Justice last week in response to the proliferation of serial killer cards and board games is a clear indication to all Canadians that the justice minister is listening and that he will be acting promptly to bring needed changes to the justice system.
As the justice minister stated, as a society we must protect children and youth from exposure to material which exploits violence, cruelty and horror, while balancing this goal against the important guarantees of freedom of expression contained in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The government is committed to making our streets, our homes and our communities safer. The threat of violence that pervades our society is intimidating and alarming to most Canadians. By seeking to prohibit the sale or distribution of materials that exploit violence, we do a great service not only to the majority of law abiding citizens, but to the young people who deserve to develop interests and talents free of such negative influences.