Bill S-4: An Act to amend the Criminal Code [1] (identity theft and related misconduct) came into force on October 22, creating a number of new offences in relation to identity theft and impersonation. As ever, the best way to acquaint yourself with the new provisions is by reading the excellent legislative summary [2] provided by the Library of Parliament.
New offences include the following:
- identity theft (new Code section 402.2(1)) -:- knowingly obtaining or possessing “another person’s identity information in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that the information is intended to be used to commit an indictable offence . . .”
- identity fraud (revised Code section 403) -:- fraudulently personating another person for various improper purposes.
- trafficking in identity information (new Code section 402.2(2)) -:- transmitting, making available, distributing, selling or offering for sale “another person’s identity information, or [having] it in their possession for any of those purposes . . .”
The Canadian Bar Association’s submission concerning Bill S-4 [3] [PDF] is available online. Though certain of their recommendations were taken into account, their worry about the law’s catching de minimis use by young people — e.g. using a borrowed or fake ID to get into a bar — was ignored.
[hat tip: E-Tips [4]]