The Minister of Justice has prepared this "Charter Statement' to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on Bill C-32, An Act related to the repeal of section 159 of the Criminal Code. One of the Minister of Justice's most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for consistency with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ["the Charter"]. By tabling this Charter Statement, the Minister is sharing some key considerations that informed the review of Bill C-32 for consistency with the Charter. The Statement identifies Charter rights and freedoms that may be potentially impacted by the Bill and provides a brief explanation of the nature of these impacts, in light of the measures being proposed.
The Statement is intended to provide legal information to the public. It is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of potential impacts, recognizing that the Bill may change over the course of its passage through Parliament. Additional considerations relevant to the constitutionality of the Bill may also arise in the course of Parliamentary study. The Statement is NOT a legal opinion on the constitutionality of the Bill.