Tories move to raise age of consent

[zipperhead_cop]

I can only hope that this bill passes unanimously in the House.  Having the age dropped to 14 was horrible.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/cbc/s/22062006/3/canada-tories-move-raise-age-consent.html
The Conservative government introduced a bill on Thursday that would raise the age of sexual consent by two years to 16.

If passed, the new law would mean most adults who have sex with girls or boys aged 14 or 15 could face criminal charges.


"Adults who sexually prey upon young people are the targets of these reforms, not consenting teenagers," said Justice Minister Vic Toews, who said the bill will rename the Age of Consent law to the Age of Protection law.


The proposed legislation includes a close-in-age exception, which means that teens who are 14 or 15 can have a sexual partner who is "less than five years older."


"Another time-limited exception would also be available for existing marriages and equivalent relationships," said a news release posted Thursday on the Justice Department's website.


The current legal age of consent in Canada is 14, in contrast with jurisdictions such as Texas, where it is 17.


'Widespread public support' for law, Toews says


Toews said there is "widespread public support" for the proposed legislation among law enforcement and child protection agencies, as well as ordinary Canadians.


He said he believes the bill will have enough support from opposition parties to pass in a House of Commons vote.


Several high-profile criminal cases have pushed both internet luring and the age-of-consent issues into the spotlight in the past few years.


In one luring case, a 31-year-old Edmonton man was sentenced in December to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old autistic girl he met through an internet chat room.

It is truly chilling how many people seized on this in order to start having sex with 14 year olds.  I also like the "less than five years older" clause, to avoid piling on kids just being kids.

 

[paracowboy]

In one luring case, a 31-year-old Edmonton man was sentenced in December to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old autistic girl he met through an internet chat room.

kneel down. Face the ditch.

 

[The_Pipes]

I think this is an excellent move, I'd love to see if there's any opposition to this and what the reasoning would be.

 

[zipperhead_cop]

kneel down. Face the ditch.

Or "put your teeth on the curb"

 

[TMM]

I can only hope that this bill passes unanimously in the House.  Having the age dropped to 14 was horrible.

Agreed. 100 years ago, 150 years ago when the law was enacted it may have made some sense but not in this day and age.

 

[The_Falcon]

I think this is an excellent move, I'd love to see if there's any opposition to this and what the reasoning would be.

There will be, The Liberals were very reluctant to outlaw possession of kiddie porn in the 90s, and even balked at using the notwithstanding clause in the Robin Sharpe case.  I seem to recall a few Liberal ministers suggest that the current age of consent laws were more than adequate, and staunchly refused to even look at them during their last 14 years in office, despite numerous calls from the opposition to do so.

 

[couchcommander]

Oh there is plenty of opposition.

I don't think anyone would disagree that a 30 year old trying to have sex with a 14 year old should be harmed, and seriously at that.

The problem starts to emerge when you have an 18 and a week year old and a 15 and 11 month year old. You're going to charge him (or her) with a very serious and lasting offence that does not fit the bill IMO (i.e. it could be a grade 12 and a grade 11 student... more likely a grade 12 and grade 10, but still).

In the end the issue is exploitation to me. I really don't care what their ages are, if one person is exploiting another then that is something that is unacceptable. Unfortunaley our justice system does not have the mechanisms in place to readily determine this.

But the idea of a less than 5 years clause would seem to be more appropriate. Between the ages of 14-18 a person may not engage in sexual relations with another person if they are more than 5 years their senior. The possibility of throwing teenagers being teenagers away is much less, as you'd have to have things like high school grads trolling the junior high for dates, but you also protect younger children from adults trying to take advantage of them as it sometimes the case now.

In the end, the opposition is towards criminalising the actions of teenagers just being normal teenagers - I don't think that is anyone's goal.

 

[SoF]

Great move by the tories especialy the close-in-age exception which will keep many older teenagers from having a sex offender record.

 

[canadianblue]

Theirs already people stepping up to the plate to oppose it, EGALE is already stepping to the plate and the last political battle these guys fought they won.

 

[TMM]

???That will do so much good for the GLBTG community.

 

[paracowboy]

Theirs already people stepping up to the plate to oppose it, EGALE is already stepping to the plate

why? What on Earth does pedophilia have to do with the Rights of homosexuals?

 

[youravatar]

The problem starts to emerge when you have an 18 and a week year old and a 15 and 11 month year old. You're going to charge him (or her) with a very serious and lasting offence that does not fit the bill IMO (i.e. it could be a grade 12 and a grade 11 student... more likely a grade 12 and grade 10, but still).

In the end the issue is exploitation to me. I really don't care what their ages are, if one person is exploiting another then that is something that is unacceptable. Unfortunaley our justice system does not have the mechanisms in place to readily determine this.

But zipperhead's idea of a less than 5 years clause would seem to be more appropriate. Between the ages of 14-18 a person may not engage in sexual relations with another person if they are more than 5 years their senior. The possibility of throwing teenagers being teenagers away is much less, as you'd have to have things like high school grads trolling the junior high for dates, but you also protect younger children from adults trying to take advantage of them as it sometimes the case now.

In the end, the opposition is towards criminalising the actions of teenagers just being normal teenagers - I don't think that is anyone's goal.

The 5 years clause doesn't cover those below the age of consent. So like 16-21 years old. not 11-16.

 

[couchcommander]

The 5 years clause doesn't cover those below the age of consent. So like 16-21 years old. not 11-16.

"The proposed legislation includes a close-in-age exception, which means that teens who are 14 or 15 can have a sexual partner who is "less than five years older."

 

[youravatar]

that's disgusting

:threat: Get 'um!

 

[Hot Lips]

Fantastic move by the Tories...
Perhaps groups that believe in polygamy in this country will have one less deterant so as to stop 30-50 year old men from marrying 14 year old girls...

And on so many other levels this is a great move by the Tories, as psychologically there aren't too many 14 year olds, IMO, that are mentally and emotionally mature enough to effectively deal with sexual relationships and everything that comes along with them...

I have assisted a 13 and 14 during child birth and let me tell you...these are babies having babies

HL

 

[couchcommander]

that's disgusting

:threat: Get 'um!

I'm not so sure it's disgusting.

As I pointed out, it would prevent criminalising an early born grade 12 having relations with a late born grade 10. This is a situation where I don't think sexual assualt against a minor charges are appropriate.

And surprisingly to me, the Tories took this into account.

Who knew that they had a modicum of common sense in those brains of theirs?

 

[youravatar]

not sure you got my meaning, grade 10s trolling for grade 6s. is more along the lines of what i was getting at.

 

[couchcommander]

Ah, I think the minimum age of consent amongst minors will remain 14.

 

[youravatar]

I thought the age of concent was universal.

 

[Inspir]

Great move by the Torrie's!

My little sister is 15 and her dumbass boyfriend is 18. Everytime time I see him I want to pull a Malcolm X on him, and he knows it.

This brings peace and stability to my thoughts.  ;D