Age of consent.

Ottawa -- On June 22, 2006, the federal Conservatives tabled a bill in the House of Commons to raise the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 years. Justice Minister Vic Toews, in response to criticism that he is trying to stop "young lovers" from satisfying their sexual urges, said: "We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens. More and more, ordinary Canadians are concerned about the growing problem of child sexual predators, especially in the Internet age," (Tor. Star, June 23, 2006). The bill will be voted upon in the fall.

Under the proposed new legislation, adults would not be able to legally have sexual relations with anyone under the age of 16. So an 18- and a 14-year-old could have sex, but sex between a twenty-something and a 14-year-old would be taboo. The law would bring Canada more in line with international norms, and would be closer to Canada's legal definition of a "child" as any person under the age of 18 years.

Ordinary Canadians themselves seem to agree with the new legislation. A recent Leger Marketing poll found that 61% of men and 68% of women thought having sexual relations before age 16 was wrong. An earlier (2002) Pollara poll reported 80% of Canadians were in favour of raising the age of consent. Homosexual activists, naturally, are opposed to the measure.