Law and Order
When it comes to law-and-order issues, I am proud of my reputation as an advocate for the protection of children. As the former Solicitor General of Alberta, I was able to advance a number of important initiatives that are still in effect today. For example, I worked with advocates and police agencies to introduce PCHIP – the Protection of Children Involved in Prostitution. Today, hundreds of children have been taken off the streets and out of the grips of pimps and sexual predators because of this legislation. I was responsible for launching the high-offender website and Canada’s first Amber Alert program. I also helped advance the Integrated Response to Organized Crime (IROC) initiative.
As Minister of Children’s Services I was proud to pass legislation to protect drug-endangered children (DECA – the first law of its type to be passed in Canada), created Bad Guy Patrol, a website dedicated to children’s education Internet safety through a partnership with Microsoft and worked on many strategies regarding family violence and bullying.
In 2007, I was asked to Chair the Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force. In this role I met with Albertans and stakeholders to discuss crime in their communities and reported back to the Premier with my findings. Today, the Government of Alberta is implementing many of the recommendations that I advanced as chair of the Safe Communities Task Force. To view the Safe Communities work that is now being implemented, click here.
Most recently, I introduced Bill 202, the Mandatory Reporting of Child Pornography Act. This private members’ bill was passed by the Alberta Legislature in April 2010. I will be watching the implementation of this bill closely to ensure that it is implemented as quickly and effectively as possible.
My law-and-order priorities continue to be advancing laws that protect children, target sexual predators and help reduce the impact that gangs and organized criminal network have on Alberta communities.