A proposed bill that would bar convicted sex offenders from legally changing their name in Manitoba has drawn fire from advocates who say the move would make it harder to reintegrate offenders into society after they serve their sentence. 

Winnipeg

A legislative proposal in Manitoba aims to prohibit convicted sex offenders from legally changing their names. The initiative seeks to implement measures that would restrict the ability of individuals convicted of sexual offenses from assuming new identities through legal name changes. This proposal has elicited criticism from various advocacy groups. These opponents argue that such restrictions could pose significant challenges to the reintegration of offenders into society post-incarceration, suggesting that it might hinder their efforts to move past their criminal records and assimilate back into community life.



Manitoba proposes bill to ban sex offenders from changing their name

I am pleased to introduce Bill 23. The Manitoba government says it doesn't want convicted sex offenders to be able to hide behind a new identity and are proposing a bill banning them from being able to legally change their name. To keep Manitobans safe we're ensuring that Manitoba does not become a haven for offenders to live in order to change their name. But advocates who work with rehabilitated offenders call it a step back for restorative justice. This would mean that we want to label and stigmatize people and we want to keep them in that place for the rest of their lives. Community Justice Initiative says further punishing someone doesn't equate to holding them responsible and isn't the deterrent many think it is. Real accountability is accepting responsibility for what you've done. Coming to terms with the true impact of the harm that you've caused and doing things in the interest of making that right. There are more than 3,200 registered sex offenders in Manitoba. Two-thirds are linked to child sex crimes. Approximately 150 people are added to the registry in Manitoba each year. In the past three years only four have changed their name. They must provide a name, address, passport and other details to RCMP yearly. Any changes must be reported within seven days. Former names remain in the database. They're already being held accountable in a way that we often don't for other types of crimes. The Criminal Defense Lawyers Association of Manitoba questions the motive behind the bill. What is the end goal? Is it to keep society safer or is it to stigmatize people who have already paid their debt to society or prevent them from escaping that stigma? I don't know what that's helping. Groups that work to reintegrate convicts into society say the best way to stop them from reoffending is keeping them connected. One of the most important criteria for successful reintegration is to allow these individuals to you know get re-involved with their families, get employment. They say the province should be focusing on wraparound supports for people when they get out of jail instead of this proposed legislation. I would rather know that the individual is out there being worked with, being supervised in a program like ours rather than going underground and basically just disappearing. Alberta and Saskatchewan are the only two provinces with similar legislation in place although it's being proposed in Ontario and Newfoundland as well. Brittany Greenslade, CBC News, Winnipeg.

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