moved for leave to introduce Bill C-628, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (consent).
Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that really should not be coming forward by way of private members. The Minister of Justice should have brought this in quite some time ago.
These particular sections of the Criminal Code discriminate against the gay community with regard to sexual activity and the age of consent with regard to that sexual activity.
The pertinent section has actually been struck down by more than one court in this country, including at least one appeals court. In spite of that, the government, and the previous Liberal government, have not moved to correct that discrimination which exists in the Criminal Code and this bill in fact would do it.
Members will see that there are 12 or 15 sections of the code that have to be amended in order to do away with that discrimination against the gay community
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)