Madam Speaker, let me again repeat my appreciation especially to
the hon. member for New Westminster-Burnaby and other members of the House in allowing me to speak on the importance of the bill. I want to speak in particular to the amendments under Bill C-27 that relate to the sexual exploitation of children abroad.
Members will recall that during the throne speech we made a commitment as a government to work toward international consensus dealing with the exploitation of children in the whole area of labour, standards and rights.
One of the most tragic and vicious aspects of that whole problem is there has been a burgeoning and growing sex industry of tourism being sponsored abroad in which tourism operators and others organize various initiatives and ventures in which people will leave their home country and go to foreign countries to sexually exploit or molest young children.
This has been a matter of deep concern since we had the convention on the rights of the child. I believe about 185 countries have specifically ratified the convention, but as yet there has not been an attempt to find a full fledged international answer to the problem.
Instead what has taken place is that a number of individual countries have now taken the initiative to extend the opportunity of their own legal system where there is consent by the country involved to take legal action against residents or citizens of their own country in this kind of transgression.
I am convinced the amendments brought forward today are one of the strongest signals we can send internationally to expose the full force of the Canadian criminal law with our own citizens in order to specifically prohibit the use of children for sexual purposes.
There has been overwhelming evidence these kind of offences are growing in number. It has been documented by national revenue that Canadian citizens go abroad to take advantage of children in other countries. The Sri Lanka and Philippine governments have reported arrests of Canadian residents in relation to such offences. During foreign investigations Canadians have been identified as being members of international pedophile networks. As a result we think it is very important that Canada take some responsibility for these kinds of actions.
Passing legislation that makes sexual tourism involving children a criminal act sends a clear message that this activity is neither tolerable nor acceptable.
Canada is not alone in its efforts. In fact, the international community is united in supporting the passing of such legislation.
There are important precedents. I am thinking here of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Canada has ratified; I am thinking of the work started by the international community, such as that initiated by the Human Rights Commission; and, finally, I am thinking of some 10 nations that have already passed such legislation.
One of the questions that has emerged by certain critics or commentaries is can such things work. Clearly we are breaking some new ground.
Other countries such as Australia and New Zealand now have this law on the books, as does the United States and several European countries. By use of modern technologies such as video conferencing and taping it is possible to take evidence abroad and use it within our courts with minimum difficulty. What we discovered is that there already have been some prosecutions.
What is important is the deterrent effect it has, knowing there is a law on the books, a possibility to prosecute. In many countries of a developing nature there is not the same effective force of a legal system as we have providing a strong and effective message that they should not do it, they cannot do it and they will be punished if they do it. The legislation not only gives children that kind of protection but provides for a higher standard and level of activity.
Canada intends to participate actively in the conference on commercial sexual exploitation being held in Sweden at the end of the summer. This international meeting will bring together for the first time government representatives, UN agencies, police enforcement officers, academic institutions, health professionals and representatives of the tourism industry to see whether they can do this on a unilateral basis, country by country, and get the support for an international convention adopted by all countries.
We hope by having this legislation passed now when we go to the conference in Sweden we can stand up as Canadians and say we are part of a vanguard to take real issue, to take a real stand against one of the most vicious and venal kinds of exploitation, that of helpless children living in dire straits and in serious circumstances.
Once again I thank the House for its courtesy and its indulgence. I hope this gives me an opportunity to say there is a chance for Canadians to show internationally that we are prepared to take real, specific efforts to protect children right around the world.