e-4192 (Justice)

Publication bans aim to protect the identity of victims and encourage the reporting of offences that may otherwise go unreported, such as sexual offences. Some victims want to protect their identity. Others want to tell their story. It should be their choice.

Healing looks different for every victim and survivor. It is a priority for the Government to ensure that in every case, victims are treated with dignity and respect in the criminal justice process.

On April 26, 2023, the Government introduced Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act, in the Senate. The proposed reforms aim to empower victims by improving the law related to publication bans, achieving greater respect of victims' right to information, and ensuring that there are no gaps in the law regarding sex crimes and the National Sex Offender Registry.

This bill gives victims greater agency in whether a publication ban is ordered, and gives survivors a clearer pathway to modify or lift a ban. Specifically, the proposed reforms to the publication ban provisions would require prosecutors to take reasonable steps to consult with victims before seeking a publication ban, and would clarify the mechanism for revoking and amending a publication ban so that victims have a better understanding and an effective access to this process. These changes would give a greater voice to survivors of sexual assault and respect their personal choice. Bill S-12 would continue to offer the protections of a publication ban for those who want them, without silencing those who wish to speak out.