A federal bill sponsored by North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold is making progress through the government. 

The bill, C-291, was initiated in June of 2022 and proposes to replace the term child pornography in federal laws with child sexual abuse and exploitation material. 

Prior to the bill's progression to the Senate in February 2023, the proposal passed House of Commons review with unanimous support from all parties. It is set to be under review at the Senate standing committee on legal and constitutional affairs. 

At the Senate committee, Arnold will be joined by fellow Conservative MP Frank Caputo (Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding), whose prior experience as a former Crown prosecutor helped to initially develop the bill. 

"It has bothered me that we equate pornography, which is consensual among adults, with what is clearly child abuse of the worst order," said Caputo. "Children cannot consent. Full stop. I therefore look forward to the speedy passage of this bill through the Senate so that this antiquated and incorrect language can be corrected. Victims are depending on legislators to make this change. The time for inaction has come and gone; the time for action is now.鈥�

After Senate committee review of the bill (scheduled for today Wednesday, Sept. 18), C-291 will be reported to the Senate chamber, where it would need to pass report and third reading stages. If the bill is amended in Senate stages, it will need to return to the House of Commons for additional review of Senate amendments.

"The House of Commons has agreed that words matter, and this bill is an important step in strengthening our laws and how we as a society perceive and treat sexual offences against and exploitation of children," said Arnold. "I hope the Senate committee will issue strong unanimous support."