Toughening up kiddie porn laws

Ken Boshcoff
M.P. Thunder Bay/Rainy River

One of the first things the new Parliament has done is to introduce Bill C-2. Bill C-2 is designed to safeguard our children from exploitation and abuse.
I hope that none of us will have to see the new laws at work first-hand. They are designed, among other things, to tighten the noose on anyone involved in the production, distribution or downloading of child pornography.
The Internet, well-known for being a legal “grey area” for information exchange, has played a large role in the distribution of child pornography. Laws against publication referred to “publication or broadcast,” neither of which covers Internet use. The wording of these laws has now been amended to use the term “publish, broadcast or transmit in any way.” Thanks to advancing technology, the Internet is becoming a tool for tracking down and prosecuting the offenders making use of it.
In the past, offenders have defended themselves by saying that their material had certain “artistic merit.” The Canadian government believes there is no artistic merit in the exploitation or abuse of children. Courts will now find themselves asking two questions in child pornography cases: “Does the act in question have any legitimate purpose?” and “Does it pose undue risk of harm to children?”
Canada will soon have the toughest child pornography laws in the world. Bill C-2 directs sentencing courts to impose higher penalties for convictions, in some cases three times as severe as the previous maximum sentence. If courts find that offences were committed with intent to profit, sentences will be even heavier. The Federal government wants it known that the abuse and exploitation of young people is unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated within our borders.