Lunn Testifies Before Justice Committee on Lindsey's Law

For Immediate Release: February 17, 2005

OTTAWA: Gary Lunn was invited before the Justice Committee today to discuss his Bill C-240 (Lindsey's Law), which would establish a DNA database for missing persons, and link that database to the crime scene index and the DNA from unidentified bodies in Canada's morgues. Lunn is proposing amendments to the government's Bill C-13 at committee which would effectively add C-240 in its entirety to the legislation.

"I was honoured to have the opportunity to speak in favour of these amendments," said Lunn, "We have delayed the creation of a DNA Missing Persons Database for too many years, and now we have an opportunity to make this dream a reality."

Lunn took the opportunity to highlight key aspects of the debate, including privacy concerns.

"Before I drafted C-240, I consulted lawyers at Justice Canada, experts at the DNA database in Ottawa, and other interested groups," Lunn testified, "The Bill is drafted to ensure that privacy rights are entirely respected. DNA samples from families of missing persons are provided on an entirely voluntary basis, and destroyed as soon as the person is found."

Lunn also spoke about the high level of support the issue has among Provincial governments.

"In the autumn of 2003, Provincial Justice Ministers unanimously decided that we should move forward on this issue. Today, we have the opportunity to act on this strong support, and make Lindsey's Law a reality."

The Bill is inspired by one of Lunn's constituents, Judy Peterson, whose 14 year old daughter Lindsey Nicholls disappeared in 1993. Ms. Peterson has had her DNA cross-referenced at a provincial level with crime scenes such as the Pickton pig farm, without success. Passage of Lunn's amendments would allow her and thousands of others in similar circumstances to expand their search across Canada.

Lunn will be lobbying Justice Committee Members hard in the coming weeks to obtain majority support for his amendments.

Lunn can be reached on his cell today at 888-0303.

Logan Wenham
Executive Assistant
Gary Lunn, MP
Saanich-Gulf Islands
Phone: (250) 656-2320