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New law to combat sexual predators

The Canadian government has raised the age of sexual consent to 16 from 14 years old, the Department of Justice announced May 5.

The Canadian government has raised the age of sexual consent to 16 from 14 years old, the Department of Justice announced May 5.

The change comes as part of the Tackling Violent Crime Act, a sweeping set of reforms that also brings mandatory jail time for serious gun crimes and requires those accused of gun crimes to show why they should not remain in jail while awaiting trial.

The reforms came into effect May 5, while two more sections that tackle impaired driving and dangerous offenders are expected to come into force on July 2.

The Act was drawn up by the government in order that families could “raise their children without fear of sexual predators,” according to the Act’s preamble.