Status: Passed 1st Reading in the Senate
Description: Would use the notwithstanding clause to declare that mandatory minimum sentences for possessing or accessing child pornography continue to operate notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s ruling that these penalties are unconstitutional.
Analysis: Mandatory minimum sentences indicate the severity of a crime and are generally reserved for the most egregious crimes. Bill S-240 would maintain minimum sentences for possessing or accessing child pornography and would continue to highlight the severity of such crimes. The scourge of child pornography justifies a mandatory minimum sentence for offenders.
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