Liberals to lay out plan for ‘generational’ Criminal Code updates

Justice Minister Sean Fraser is set to announce updates to Canada’s Criminal Code on Tuesday, aimed at protecting minors and other victims against predators, his office said in a statement.

The changes are “one of the most consequential updates to Canada’s Criminal Code in generations to confront modern threats and protect victims,” Fraser’s office said.

The “generational reforms” are intended to “protect victims and keep kids safe from predators,” the statement added.

3:26 Liberals vote against Tory bail reform motion, vow opposition will be ‘happy’ with new legislation

In their spring election platform, the Liberals promised to crack down on sexual violence and intimate partner violence.

The party pledged to make hate-motivated murder, such as femicide, a first-degree offence, increase penalties for distributing intimate images without consent and make it a criminal offence to distribute non-consensual sexual deepfakes.

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The Liberals also promised measures to shield children from online exploitation and sexual extortion.

Women and Gender Equality Minister Rechie Valdez and Ruby Sahota, secretary of state for combating crime, are slated to join Fraser at the news conference on Tuesday.

— with files from The Canadian Press