Art Hanger

[Age of Consent, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, that still does not answer the question nor does it solve the problem.

A child abuse investigator must have the power to disrupt the illegal activities of those involved in the sexual exploitation of children. Criminals entice 14 and 15 year old children for sex because they are too young to make their own mature decisions. They do not understand the repercussions of having sexual acts with criminals.

Again, on behalf of our children, to protect them from pedophiles, pornographers and pimps, will the minister take the legislation back to the drawing board, change it and raise the age of consent?

[Age of Consent, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the justice minister.

The minister is saying that it is still okay for adults of any age to have sex with 14 year old children as long as they are not in a position of trust or authority. For the majority of parents in this country, that is not acceptable.

On behalf of the children, again I ask the minister to change the legal age of sexual consent from 14 years to 16 years while he still has the chance.

[Child Pornography, November 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a solid record of stopping good legislation in its tracks. The government has been unafraid to sacrifice the public interest for its own perceived party interests.

Three weeks ago the government played that game by stopping two bills that immediately would have made Canada's children safer from the growing problem of child sexual exploitation. The government refused to consider raising the age of sexual consent and refused to even consider tougher sentences for pedophiles. It will jail farmers for selling their wheat, but will not jail those who prey on 14-year-old children.

In response several organizations, including the Canadian Justice Foundation and Mad Mothers Against Pedophiles, have announced that they are joining with me to make Canadians absolutely aware that the protection of children from sexual abuse is not on the radar screen of the government. Working together we will build a national coalition of Canadians who will target not only pedophiles but the Liberals who protect them. We will work with concerned Canadians from coast to coast to stop the legalized abuse of children.

[Agriculture, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the government should be ashamed of itself.

In Ontario farmers can grow their own wheat and sell it to the highest bidder. Cross the border into Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and they cannot do that; they go to jail instead.

This should be brought to the attention of the Prime Minister to let him answer the question. Will he demand that the minister responsible for the Wheat Board table legislation that would allow farmers to sell their grain freely and set those farmers free?

[Agriculture, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the member should be ashamed of himself.

In Ontario--

[Agriculture, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, right this minute there are four western farmers who have been denied their basic freedoms as Canadians. Jim Chatenay, Bill Moore, Ron Duffy and John Turcado are serving their third week as political prisoners. This is not China, Iraq or North Korea I am talking about; it is Lethbridge, in western Canada. The government jails farmers simply for selling their own grain.

Why does the minister responsible for the Wheat Board believe that western farmers should not have the right to sell their own products to whomever they want?

[Age of Consent, November 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice indicated that there are social and cultural considerations that must be taken into account when dealing with the change of age for sexual consent.

Would the parliamentary secretary tell the House what these social and cultural considerations are?

[Criminal Code, November 4th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there has been quite a cry throughout the country, not only from parents but from those who have been victimized by predators, to have the age of sexual consent raised from 14 to 16.

Is it really the government's intent to protect children under the age of 16 from sexual predators?

[Criminal Code, November 4th, 2002]

I do not see anything complicated about it.

I am going to refer to some comments made by a friend of mine, a staff sergeant on the Calgary city police force, who for years worked on the police services vice unit and was the coordinator of Project 118 Children's Services. As a law enforcement officer, he issues a warning. He warns that the low age of legal sexual consent provides official legislative sanction for promiscuity and sexual activity for youth. He states:

This law makes it easier for recruiters and predators--for example, a 15-year-old living with a 45-year-old.

This staff sergeant, Ross MacInnes, founded Street Teams, an agency that helped get girls off the street. He states that Canadian law makes it difficult to rescue children from dangerous situations. If a 14-year-old girl runs away from home, for example, international protocol makes it possible to get her back from California within 12 hours and from Mexico within 24 hours. Says MacInnes:

But I can't get her back from another city within Canada. There is a view in Canada--and the age of consent is one factor--that there is a form of emancipation taking place, and that the youngster is capable of making her own choice.

That is the view and that is what I am attempting to fight with this bill. It is one that I think the government should be addressing head on.

In conclusion, I think one of the most important benefits of raising the age of consent would be to send a clear message from our government that Canadian children have value and that we as a society are committed to protecting them.

[Criminal Code, November 4th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to acknowledge the comments made by all members who have contributed to this debate within the short period of time we have had. I believe this deserves a lot more than just one hour of debate. The effort was made at the subcommittee on private members' business to convince it that this matter should be a votable matter. I still believe that it should be a votable matter in spite of the fact that the committee refused to accept it as such.

I am going to go back to this issue in reference to the comments made about this bill. If, in the view of the government, there is some flaw in the bill, it certainly has the right to bring that up and pay attention to where it may fall short. I certainly am willing to accept that aspect of what is happening here in our Parliament. It is part of the process. On the other hand, the government also has a responsibility to protect our children, so if there is some shortfall in the bill then let us correct it and go forward with it.

I do not buy the argument that this is a complex matter, because really all it takes is to raise the age of consent from 14 to 16. It is very simple. Everything else stays the same.