Mr. Speaker, these amendments would increase penalties for many child sexual offences to better reflect the serious nature of these offences and would ensure that sentencing takes into account each victim in these cases.
Currently, when an offender is sentenced for multiple separate offences, courts can require that the sentences be served consecutively, one after the other, or concurrently, at the same time. The new law would require these sentences to be served consecutively in certain cases.
As a mother and a grandmother, I know that this legislation is very important when it comes to our children and the real fear that they will experience the emotional turmoil of sexual abuse should something ever happen, and I know that my constituents reflect that view as well.