ID Theft called 'Elder Abuse' New bill would make it a crime

By Janice Tibbetts

OTTAWA -- Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says identity theft is a "type of elder abuse" and he intends to table a federal bill to make it a crime.

Nicholson confirmed he is preparing a piece of legislation to update the Criminal Code to deal with the modern-day problem, which is suspected of claiming thousands of victims in Canada every month.

"I intend to move forward," Nicholson told CanWest News Service. "It's a developing area and what we find is there are gaps in the law."