Bill C-291 is an act to amend the Criminal Code and other acts. The primary goal of the bill is to replace the term "child pornography" with the term "child sexual abuse and exploitation material." This change is reflected throughout the Criminal Code and related legislation to ensure consistency.
The bill amends several sections of the Criminal Code, specifically focusing on Section 163.1, which deals with offenses related to child sexual abuse and exploitation material. The amendments cover various aspects such as the making, distribution, possession, and accessing of such material. The bill also updates the definition of "sexually explicit material" to exclude child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
Furthermore, the bill includes consequential amendments to other acts, ensuring that the updated terminology is used consistently across different pieces of legislation. These acts include An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Criminal Records Act, and the National Defence Act.
The bill also includes a transitional provision that ensures the validity of ongoing proceedings related to Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code. It clarifies that the amendments do not affect the validity of these proceedings or any related documents, and that any reference to "child pornography" in such documents should be read as a reference to "child sexual abuse and exploitation material." The Act comes into force on the first anniversary of the day on which it receives royal assent.
Crime
Bill C-291 amends the Criminal Code to address offenses related to child sexual abuse and exploitation material. It replaces the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse and exploitation material" and updates related sections of the Criminal Code concerning the making, distribution, possession, and accessing of such materials. The bill also specifies penalties for these offenses, including imprisonment.