The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Attorney General Gord Mackintosh introduced proposed legislation yesterday to prevent criminals from profiting from both recounting their crimes, and from the sale of memorabilia, by freezing and redirecting any profits back to the victims' families or victim programming. The proposed legislation balances the need to prevent criminals from financially exploiting their crimes with the right of freedom of expression, Mackintosh said. "It is disturbing to think people can commit violent, sexual or other serious crimes and then make money from recounting the story and exploiting the pain of their victims," said Mackintosh. "It is simply wrong to allow criminals to make money from their notoriety or from the suffering they have inflicted on their victims. Crime must not pay." The legislation would apply to offenders living in Manitoba and those whose crimes were committed in the province. It would also apply to anyone acting on behalf of the criminal, such as a spouse or relative. Any profits would be used to compensate victims of the crime or be deposited into the Victim's Assistance Fund. A criminal or accused person would be able to argue in court that the value to society of recounting their story outweighs the importance of preventing them from profiting from it. Money would be returned to someone who was ultimately acquitted or whose charges were stayed. The act would also allow the director of public safety to seize the profits criminals make from selling memorabilia, which would include items owned, used, possessed, autographed or made by a criminal that fetch a higher price than they would without their notorious reputation. The legislation would apply to people accused or convicted of serious violent, sexual or property offences. Fines for breaching the act would equal or exceed the value of the payments made to offenders. "We recognize that some people who have committed crimes have gone on to publish books with social value and this legislation will not prevent that," said Mackintosh.
