VICTORIA – Convicted criminals will no longer be able to profit by selling their stories, under legislation introduced by the government on Thursday.
Solicitor General Mike Morris said the proposed law would redirect any money earned by criminals who sell their stories or memorabilia back to victims and their families.
The bill would apply to people convicted of murder, sex offences, child exploitation, kidnapping, drug trafficking or the trafficking of people. If passed, it would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2001.
“For constitutional reasons, the act cannot ban a criminal from telling his or her stories – only from receiving a financial gain as a result,” Morris’s ministry said in a news release.
The government said it was reacting to public outrage in February when it was learned convicted serial killer Robert Pickton had published a book through a third party about his crimes.
“The day I first learned of the Pickton book, I was determined no one would make a nickel from Robert Pickton’s crimes,” Morris said in a statement.
“This legislation is a swift, thorough response to that book. We have derailed any plans to profit from it. The act will also help ensure no other notorious or violent criminals can profit from the hurt they have caused.”
Technically, the proposed law would require anyone who enters a contract with a criminal to recount a notorious crime to notify government about its terms, and would prohibit that person from accepting or providing money. It would also allow government to go to court to recover profits from crime-related memorability, the ministry said.
And the bill proposes to prevent criminals from assigning the rights to their stories to spouses, friends or relatives.
rshaw@postmedia.com
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