C-291An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (child sexual abuse and exploitation material)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on June 17, 2022
- Status
- Became law on October 10, 2024 · S.C. 2024, c. 23
What it does
Replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material” in federal law and updates related Criminal Code rules.
What it does
- Replaces “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material” in section 163.1 of the Criminal Code and in four other federal Acts.
- Keeps the same offences and penalties for making, distributing, possessing, and accessing this material under section 163.1, including the stated minimum and maximum jail terms.
- Expands the computer seizure rules so judges can order the deletion of electronic copies of this material, or data that makes it available, from a computer system.
- Updates publication bans, offence lists, and related court rules so section 163.1 is treated as a listed sexual offence in several Criminal Code provisions.
- Keeps ongoing proceedings valid after the law takes effect, and says old references to “child pornography” in those proceedings read as the new term.
- Starts on the first anniversary of royal assent.
Who it affects
- Children and youth
- People charged under section 163.1
- Courts and judges
- Police and prosecutors
- Internet service providers
- Corrections officials
- Sex offender registry authorities
Background
The bill says the Criminal Code term “child pornography” is replaced with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material.” It also makes related changes in other Acts.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-291, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (child sexual abuse and exploitation material)
Vote 249,
Passed
323 yeato0 nay
Party breakdown for vote 249 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 150 0 8 Conservative Yea 113 0 3 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 323 0 2nd reading of Bill C-291, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (child sexual abuse material)
Vote 221,
Passed
318 yeato0 nay
Party breakdown for vote 221 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 149 0 9 Conservative Yea 114 0 4 Bloc Yea 26 0 6 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 2 0 0 Total 318 0
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalGary Anandasangaree· November 17, 2022
“I am very pleased to join the second reading debate on Bill C-291, an act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other acts, child sexual abuse material, introduced by the member for North Okanagan—Shuswap on June 17, 2022. At the outset, I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking from the traditional lands of the Algonquin people.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeMel Arnold· June 17, 2022
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-291, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (child sexual abuse material). It is an honour to rise to introduce my private member's bill, an act to amend the Criminal Code.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocSimon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay· November 17, 2022
“The bill before us today amends the Criminal Code to replace the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” and makes consequential amendments to other acts. The bill does not have any direct or immediate legal effect to speak of, other than changing a term.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPRandall Garrison· November 17, 2022
“Let me start by saying that I do accept the good intentions of those who brought this bill forward. It is an important distinction in changing the terminology from “child pornography” to “child sexual abuse material”, which brings to the fore the question of the fact that there can never be consent for children.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.