Parliament has passed legislation changing how Canadian law refers to offences once labeled as “child pornography,” marking a rare moment of unanimous support across party lines.Bill C-291 received Royal Assent on Thursday, replacing the term throughout the Criminal Code with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material.” The change applies to all existing offences related to producing, distributing, possessing, or accessing such material.The penalties remain the same. Offenders who make or distribute such material face maximum prison terms of up to 14 years, with mandatory minimums of one year in certain cases. Possession and accessing offences continue to carry lesser but still significant sentences..Bill C-291 was introduced in June 2022 as a private member’s bill by Conservative MP Mel Arnold (North Okanagan—Shuswap). The proposal quickly gained traction across party lines, with MPs and senators citing the importance of using terminology that reflects the abusive and non-consensual nature of the crimes. Supporters argued that the previous wording risked equating abuse of children with consensual adult pornography, undermining the seriousness of the offences. “Children cannot consent. These are images of exploitation, not pornography,” Arnold said during second reading debates.The bill advanced through the House of Commons and the Senate without recorded opposition, reflecting a rare consensus on an issue of criminal law reform. The government supported the change, with Justice Minister Arif Virani noting that the revised terminology “centres the harm to children and removes misleading connotations.”.The amendments affect multiple sections of the Criminal Code. Provisions on forfeiture of illegal material, publication bans on victims’ identities, and definitions of “sexually explicit material” have all been updated to align with the new term. The legislation also reinforces limits on defences. Accused individuals cannot rely on the belief that depicted persons were over 18 unless they can prove they took reasonable steps to confirm age.Canada is not the first jurisdiction to move away from the term “child pornography.” International bodies, including Interpol and the United Nations, have adopted “child sexual abuse material” or similar phrasing. Advocates say such language avoids minimizing the harm and helps victims in their recovery by naming the crimes more accurately.With Royal Assent granted, the changes are now law. For lawmakers, the shift is largely symbolic, as it does not alter existing penalties, but supporters say it is an important step in aligning Canadian legal language with the gravity of the crimes involved.
