Canada Takes Action to Strengthen the National Sex Offender Registry and the National DNA Data Bank

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Jun 01 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of Public Safety, together with
the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue, today
announced proposed legislative amendments to strengthen the National Sex
Offender Registry and the National DNA Data Bank.

"Police services and victims' groups have been clear - the National Sex
Offender Registry must be strengthened so that it better protects our
children and communities from sexual predators," said Minister Van Loan.
"The changes we are proposing today will enhance public safety and make
the Registry and the National DNA Data Bank more effective tools for
police not only to investigate but also prevent sex crimes."

Proposed amendments in the legislation include:

- Automatic inclusion of all convicted sex offenders in the Registry - as
opposed to the current scheme where prosecutors must apply and a judge
has discretion whether to include a convicted sex offender in the
registry.

- Offenders convicted of a designated sexual offence under the Sex
Offender Information Registration Act will also now be subject to a
mandatory order to provide a DNA sample for the National DNA Databank;

- Police will be empowered to use the Registry to prevent sexual
offences, unlike now where they can only use the registry to investigate
crimes after they are committed;

- People who are convicted and jailed for sex crimes in another country
who return to Canada under the International Transfers of Offenders Act
to serve the remainder of their sentence will now be registered in the
Sex Offender Registry;

- Canadians convicted abroad of sex crimes and returning to Canada at the
end of sentence must report their conviction to police within 7 days of
arriving in Canada or face criminal prosecution;

- Police to notify foreign or other Canadian police when high-risk
registered sex offenders are travelling to that area; and,

- Amendments to the National Defence Act to ensure that reforms also
apply to the military justice system.

In addition, several administrative and operational enhancements are
proposed. For example, registered sex offenders must report the name of
their employer, the type of employment as well as any volunteer
organizations they are associated with. They will also be required to
provide notice in advance of absences from their residence of seven days
or more.

Correctional authorities would also be permitted to notify the
registration centre of the sex offender's address where a registered sex
offender is serving the custodial portion of a sentence temporarily in
the community for a period of 7 days or more.

"We are fulfilling the commitment we made to strengthen the National Sex
Offender Registry and the National DNA Data Bank" added Minister
Blackburn. "We will continue to work with the police and our provincial
and territorial partners on this important issue as they are partners in
the administration and enforcement of the Registry."

The Sex Offender Information Registration Act that established a national
sex offender database was proclaimed as law and came into force on
December 15, 2004. The database is administered by the RCMP.

Contacts:
Public Safety Canada
Media Relations
613-991-0657
www.publicsafety.gc.ca

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