Conservatives introduce legislation to strengthen monitoring of registered sex offenders | CBC News

The Conservatives have introduced a bill they say would strengthen monitoring of sex offenders listed on the National Sex Offender Registry.

Bill C-336, or “Noah’s Law”, would in some cases extend the period of time someone convicted of a sex offence must remain on the registry. It also requires offenders to undergo mandatory therapy if they want to get off the registry.

The bill also increases monitoring of registered sex offenders and shortens the time period during which they have to report a change of address.

“This bill … proposes significant changes to our justice system and public safety system, with the aim of strengthening the protection of women and children from dangerous sex offenders,”  Conservative Sen. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu said Tuesday. 

The bill is named after 16-month old Noah McConnell. He and his mother Mchale Busch, 24, were murdered by their neighbour, a convicted sex offender, in 2021.

Right now, a person convicted of a sexual offence can be added to the sex offenders’ registry for a period of 10 years if the maximum prison sentence for that crime is two to five years.

A sex offender remains on the registry for 20 years if their conviction merited a maximum prison term of 10 to 14 years. Someone sentenced to life for their crimes remains on the registry for life.

Noah’s law would allow convicted offenders to be added to the list for 30 years in cases where the prosecutor can convince the court that an offender is likely to re-offend.

Tightening monitoring, movement

The legislation would allow someone who has been on the sex offenders’ registry for 20 years to apply to be removed from the list, but only if they have completed a sex offender treatment program approved by the province and under supervision of the courts.

Under the current Sex Offender Information Registration Act, a sex offender must notify a registration centre of a change of address within seven days of the move. 

Noah’s law would require the registered sex offender to report a change of address inside seven days before the move. 

Under the proposed law, registered sex offenders would also have to report to a registration centre six to seven months after last appearing at a centre. The current law requires contact with a registration centre within 11 to 12 months.