Bill C-26

SUMMARY

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to

(a) increase mandatory minimum penalties and maximum penalties for certain sexual offences against children;

(b) increase maximum penalties for violations of prohibition orders, probation orders and peace bonds;

(c) clarify and codify the rules regarding the imposition of consecutive and concurrent sentences;

(d) require courts to impose, in certain cases, consecutive sentences on offenders who commit sexual offences against children; and

(e) ensure that a court that imposes a sentence must take into consideration evidence that the offence in question was committed while the offender was subject to a conditional sentence order or released on parole, statutory release or unescorted temporary absence.

It amends the Canada Evidence Act to ensure that spouses of the accused are competent and compellable witnesses for the prosecution in child pornography cases.

It also amends the Sex Offender Information Registration Act to increase the reporting obligations of sex offenders who travel outside Canada.

It enacts the High Risk Child Sex Offender Database Act to establish a publicly accessible database that contains information — that a police service or other public authority has previously made accessible to the public — with respect to persons who are found guilty of sexual offences against children and who pose a high risk of committing crimes of a sexual nature.

Finally, it makes consequential amendments to other Acts.