Parliament: Question on the Delay in Implementing Lindsey’s Law

Elizabeth May – Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, three years ago in this place, we passed something called Lindsey’s law, an act to create a DNA database for missing persons. It is named Lindsey’s law out of respect for a missing person. Her name is Lindsey Nicholls. Her mom is a friend of mine. She is a constituent. Judy Peterson fought like a tiger to get something that would allow law enforcement to compare the DNA at crime scenes with missing persons. That bill was passed, but it was delayed and would not come into effect until 2017. Now Judy Peterson has been told that there is an additional year’s delay.

Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tell us if he can stop there being a delay and bring it into force?

Ralph Goodale – Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, we all share the pain of those whose loved ones have gone missing, and we strongly support efforts to help law enforcement with missing persons investigations. This includes the creation of the DNA-based missing persons and victims data bank. We are in the final stages now of doing the necessary due diligence, both with respect to cost sharing and privacy protection. My goal is to have this system up and running before the end of this year.