Canada's age of consent to sexual activity offers Canadian youth no protection from sexual exploitation. This has resulted in Canada becoming a preferred destination for sexual predators to prey on our innocent children. There is a need to protect our children and this should be the Governments highest priority.

In 1999 the Department of Justice's consultation paper view that the current age of consent was too low. In 2002 Over 40,000 people sent a letter to Justice Minister Cauchon asking that the age of consent be raised to 18. The Canadian Police Association has twice requested the age to be raised.

In early November 2004 , Helena Guergis, MP prepared a petition asking the Martin Liberals to raise the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 years of age. A copy of her petition is available in each of her offices. You can read MP Helena Guergis thoughts on her website .

It was in 1987, the Mulroney government reduced the age of consent for sex in the Criminal Code to age 14. Since that date the Liberal government has refused to amend this law and raise the age of consent to 18.

Our government is sending an open invitation for predators to focus on our children. Might I add, now if a man sleeps with a 13 year old, he is put away for rape. What does the difference of one year make, as far as maturity? In Canada child porn includes anyone under the age of 18, but it's legal for a 14-year-old-girl to have sex with a 30 year old man.

As we approach 2006, the government is once again failing to protect our children. On Sept 28 MP Rick Casson private member's Bill C-313 and Nina Grewal private member's motion to raise the age of consent for sex from 14 to 16 was brought before office and once again the bill was rejected. I was disappointed to hear that a bill that would have raised the age of consent to 16 was defeated by a vote of 167-99.

Despite the strong efforts of many Canadians, the request for a bill to be past that will protect our children from sexual exploitation appears to be falling on deaf ears.

C.A.S.E. < c-a-s-e.net> has started a petition on the age of consent, requesting that the government pass a bill that will up the age of consent to 18. United Mothers has a website where you can send off your one click letter that will be sent to elected officials and community leaders on Bill C-313. I encourage all Canadians to visit the website and send off your letter. It only takes five minutes.

You can also make your opinion heard by writing to the Parliament of Canada (Minster Paul Martin) at the following address.

Please write to: Minster Paul Martin Prime Minister's Office 80 Wellington Street, 2nd Floor Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 Tel: (613) 992-4211 Fax: (613) 941-6900

The Honourable Anne McLellan Minister of Justice Justice Building 284 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8 Tel: (613) 992-4621 Fax (613) 990-7255 Your MP House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

I have already sent off my letter that expresses my disappointment in Parliaments once again failure to protect our children. I request all Canadian to do your part in requesting that the Government raise the age of consent for sexual activity from 14 years to 16 years of age.

Help us protect our most valuable possession- our children. Please spread the word.
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