Bill 202, the Mandatory Reporting of Child Pornography Act (Third Reading)
April 19, 2010
The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Fish Creek.
Mrs. Forsyth: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Once again I appreciate the opportunity to stand in the House to speak in support of Bill 202, the Mandatory Reporting of Child Pornography Act.
While I appreciate the support that Bill 202 has received, I will say that I have been surprised by the reaction from the government. I’ve also been surprised with the lack of willingness to confirm a date that this legislation would come into effect. I’ve heard their reasons for not providing dates, and frankly, Mr. Speaker, these reasons ring hollow with Albertans, they ring hollow with the opposition, and they ring hollow with law enforcement, victims’ advocates, and those who suffer at the hands of those who abuse and exploit children to satisfy their sick sexual perversions. I will let them explain their position to Albertans; that is not my job. They can explain why they consistently change their position on the refusal to provide a date that this would actually go into effect. But please know this: I will not let this piece of legislation go into the never-never land of private members’ bills. I think that the government is familiar with the never-never land. It’s a place that they have created where more than 1,411 private members’ bills have gone. It’s a quiet place, Mr. Speaker, because nothing really happens there. You see, this never-never land of private members’ bills is a place where each bill has powers, and it’s a place where each bill is supposed to be working and in action. But for a reason that only the government knows, only about 50 of these private members’ bills have made it out of never-never land. Bill 202 will make it out of never-never land, and I am determined to see that it comes into effect, whether it is because this government puts it into effect as a revised government bill or because it takes Bill 202 and we put it into effect on our own.
[The Deputy Speaker in the chair]
I cannot tell members of this Legislature how horrific images of child pornography are. We can all say the words; we can all imagine it. As the former Solicitor General and minister of children’s services I have seen these images that were involved in some of the investigations that unfolded during my time in these positions. I can never get these images out of my mind, Mr. Speaker. I will not describe them for you, but, hon. members, please know this: I can think of nothing more vile, more evil, or more disgusting than the sexual exploitation of a small, innocent child. I hope you never have to see these images for yourself because they are seared into my memory forever.
These images that are sent around the Internet by these organized criminal networks of child pornography and sexual abusers we are trying to disrupt with Bill 202. When someone inadvertently comes across these images, we want them to be able to report this information to the police or organizations like Cybertip without having to fear that they will be investigated. When someone accidentally comes across these vile images, we want it to be clear about the steps that law enforcement agencies or child protection staff must take to investigate and remove children if there is evidence of ongoing abuse.
When someone finds out that a child is being sexually abused by a child pornographer or a predator, we do not want the abuser to be able to hide. Bill 202 is about giving police and those who come across this information the tools they need to be protected and stop the abuse from continuing. Bill 202 provides the framework for these child protection steps to be taken into practice. What we need now, Mr. Speaker, are the actual regulations. With Bill 202’s passage it will be up to this government to give police the regulations they need to have clarity, to change their work practices, and to launch effective investigations that will help protect our children. I extend an offer to work with the government to study the regulations that are needed, to bring law enforcement and reporting agencies together to achieve strong and enforceable regulations which will stop this vile cycle of child abuse and sexual exploitation. I hope this government will accept this offer. I do not care who gets the law passed or the regulations put into practice. My record as a member of the government and as a member of the opposition speaks for itself. Protecting children must come first. Protecting children must be a shared goal. Protecting children is what I hope we can all achieve through Bill 202.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I encourage every member of this Assembly to pass Bill 202.
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