Mr. Speaker, in September 1996, as a delegate to the World Congress against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and last year at Canada's “Out from the Shadows” conference in Victoria, I heard firsthand from young people the devastating effects of sexual exploitation.
I hope all members of this House take these issues seriously. Members truly interested in ensuring healthy choices and freedoms for Canadian children and the world's children might read the Declaration and Agenda for Action ratified by the youth delegates in March 1998.
They should talk to the youth who are abused on the streets of this city and cities across our nation. They should learn the language they would have us use and refrain from terms like “kiddie” that make the issue overly cute and accessible.
Child pornography has had our attention over the last couple of weeks. It exploits and abuses children.
I thank the attorney general for her work on intervening on the appeal in British Columbia and upholding the law and the rights of all Canadians to due process.