Removal of Child from Canada
The offence of removal of a child from Canada is outlined in section 273.3(1) of the Criminal Code.
A person commits the offence of removal of a child from Canada when they take a child under the age of 18 out of the country to commit an act that, if committed in Canada, would be a specific criminal offence. The specific offences depend on the child’s age and differ if the child is between 18 to 16 or under 16.
Examples
Person A, aged 45, brings person B, aged 14, to a country where the age of consent is 14 so that person A can touch person B for a sexual purpose without facing criminal charges in Canada.
Person C, aged 50 brings person D, aged 17, to a country that permits adults to profit from people under 18 engaging in sex work. Person C intends to profit from person D doing sex work without facing criminal charges in Canada.
Cases
R. v. Oler, 2019 BCSC 1453
In R. v. Oler, the accused was convicted of one count of removing a child from Canada for taking his 15-year-old daughter to the United States so that she could be married to another member of his church. The accused was aware that this would make his daughter subject to sexual touching, which is a criminal offence in Canada.
Offence Specific Defence(s)
In Canada
Where the person does not take the child outside of Canada but takes them somewhere within Canada, they have not completed the offence of removal of a child from Canada.
Not a Child
Where the person does not remove a child under the age of 18 from Canada but leaves the country with a person older than 18 years of age, they have not completed the offence of removal of a child from Canada.
More Legal Information
Law Newbie™ is a free legal assistant developed by our criminal lawyers to help you understand the law.
In criminal cases, there are very strict rules governing what evidence can be used and how it can be used.
The rights enjoyed of all those within Canada are contained in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Criminal procedure is the process by which an accused person is arrested and brought through the justice system.
Sentencing refers to the punishment that is ordered when an individual is found guilty of a criminal offence.
Offences in Canada are listed in the Criminal Code. They include crimes related to people, vehicles and weapons.