Bill C-275 Sexual Assault Material
C-275 An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Sexual Assault Material)
Bill Type: Private Member’s Bill
Bill Sponsor: Burton Bailey (Red Deer)
Status: Outside the Order of Precedence — Introduced April 28, 2026. This Bill hasn't passed yet.
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WHO GAINS POWER
- Crown prosecutors gain a new Criminal Code offense to charge individuals who make, distribute, possess or access visual recordings of non-consensual sexual activity
- Courts gain discretion to treat profit motive as an aggravating factor at sentencing
- ⚠️ "Legitimate purpose" is not defined in the Bill — science, medicine, education and art are listed as defenses with no criteria for what qualifies. A court determines legitimacy case by case
WHO LOSES POWER
- Individuals who make, distribute, possess or access sexual assault material lose the ability to claim they believed the activity was consensual — unless they took all reasonable steps to verify consent and ensure the material didn't depict it as non-consensual
- Platforms and distributors who knowingly transmit or make available this material face criminal liability up to 14 years
WHO GAINS MONEY
- Victims gain a stronger legal basis for pursuing criminal accountability
- Legal professionals gain a new offense category to litigate
WHO LOSES MONEY
- Individuals convicted face fines up to $100,000 for making or distributing, up to $50,000 for possession or access — in addition to imprisonment
- ⚠️ Fines go to the Crown, not the victim — the Bill creates no restitution or compensation mechanism for survivors
THE CATCH
- ⚠️ "Explicit and realistic" is not defined — what meets the threshold for prosecution is left to judicial interpretation
- ⚠️ The legitimate purpose defense is broad — art, education and science are listed with no minimum standard, creating a potential escape route for bad actors with a plausible cover
- ⚠️ No victim notification requirement — the Bill does not require that a victim be informed when material depicting them is seized, prosecuted or destroyed
- The Bill applies to knowing conduct only — accidental access or possession is not captured, but proving knowledge will be a consistent litigation challenge