Menu
The Government of Canada has enacted a new law which will hopefully provide some further protection for Canada’s older adults. On December 14, 2012 the Protecting Canada’s Seniors Act S.C. 2012, c. 29, was granted Royal Assent and came into force thirty days later, on January 13, 2013. The Act amends the Criminal Code so that evidence that an offence had a significant impact on the victims due to their age and other personal circumstances, such as health or financial situation, will now always be considered as an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes.
The backgrounder and news release from the Department of Justice stated that “the amendments will help ensure the consistent application of the established sentencing practice, that violence against individuals who are vulnerable due to their age and other personal circumstances should be treated seriously. The Criminal Code already contains similar measures that denounce the abuse of vulnerable persons. For instance, it states that the abuse of a person under the age of 18 is an aggravating factor at sentencing.”
