Tweed Supports Strengthening Sex Offender Registry

OTTAWA – March 18, 2010 - Merv Tweed, MP for Brandon-Souris supports the proposed legislation introduced by Public Safety Minister, Vic Toews.

Police services and victims’ groups have stressed that the National Sex Offender Registry must be strengthened to better protect our children and communities from sexual predators.

“The announcement to strengthen Canada’s Sex Offender Registry and National DNA Data Bank should give the constituents of Brandon-Souris further confidence that our Government is taking necessary steps to protect society from sexual predators,” said Tweed.

Currently, a convicted sex offender is registered only when the Crown requests it, and only when a judge agrees.  The bill that will be introduced would make registration automatic on conviction. The legislation would also require all convicted sex offenders to provide a DNA sample for the National DNA Data Bank.

The current rules allow police to use the Registry only to solve crimes after they happen.  Our Conservative Government will allow police to use the Registry pro-actively to prevent crime.

Tweed added, “we hope this legislation will pass in the House of Commons and become law, however, the onus will now be on the opposition parties to see the value in this legislation and vote for it in the House.”