Prime Minister Stephen Harper will appear in Richmond, B.C. Monday to make an announcement about child sexual exploitation, both in Canada and overseas.
Global News has learned legislation will be introduced this fall to increase sharing between police and border security to monitor child sex offenders, and give the Canadian Border Services Agency better tools to track movements of high-risk predators and better ensure their compliance with the law.
It’s no coincidence however that the announcement will be made in B.C.
Christopher Neil from Maple Ridge is one of the most recognized pedophiles in the world. Infamously known as ‘Swirl Face,’ Neil made Interpol’s ‘most wanted list’ when he was digitally unmasked. He was serving time for abusing young boys in Thailand, but was released after spending five years behind bars. He was then arrested again on August 2 at a home in Vancouver for breaching condition of a peace bond. He is currently not in custody and is due in court sometime this month.
Burnaby resident Kenneth Klassen was sentenced to 11 years in 2010 for sexually abusing almost a dozen young girls in Cambodia and Columbia.
And the first person ever convicted under Canada’s sex tourism laws was Donald Bakker. He’s already served his time and lives in Abbotsford. He was found guilty of seven sex crimes against children in Cambodia and is still considered extremely high risk by police.
“Constituents have to get off the couch and pick up the phone to their Members of Parliament, and express how appalled they are,” said Brian McConaghy from Ratanak International. “And express how this must be made a priority in terms of legislation and in terms of funding of police, etc, that we can start to impact this issue.”
It’s estimated almost half of all reported sexual assaults in Canada are against children.
The new legislation aims to crack down on domestic abuse as well.
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