DNA Identification Act

Marginal note:Establishment

• 5 (1) The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness shall establish a national DNA data bank, to be maintained by the Commissioner, consisting of

  • (a) for criminal identification purposes, a crime scene index, a convicted offenders index and a victims index;

  • (b) for the purposes of finding missing persons and identifying human remains, a missing persons index, a relatives of missing persons index and a human remains index; and

  • (c) for the purposes set out in paragraphs (a) and (b), a voluntary donors index.

• Marginal note:Commissioner’s duties

  (2) The Commissioner’s duties under this Act may be performed on behalf of the Commissioner by any person authorized by the Commissioner to perform those duties.

• Marginal note:Crime scene index

  (3) The crime scene index shall contain DNA profiles derived from bodily substances that are found

  • (a) at any place where a designated offence was committed;

  • (b) on or within the body of the victim of a designated offence;

  • (c) on anything worn or carried by the victim at the time when a designated offence was committed; or

  • (d) on or within the body of any person or thing or at any place associated with the commission of a designated offence.

• Marginal note:Convicted offenders index

  (4) The convicted offenders index shall contain DNA profiles derived from bodily substances that are taken under orders and authorizations.

• Marginal note:Victims index

  (4.1) The victims index shall contain DNA profiles derived from bodily substances of a victim of a designated offence that

  • (a) are voluntarily submitted by the victim for the purpose of having their DNA profile added to the index; or

  • (b) if the victim is unidentified, deceased or unable to consent to submitting their bodily substances or their whereabouts are unknown, are obtained, as the case may be, from

    • (i) their personal effects,

    • (ii) any place associated with the commission of the designated offence, and

    • (iii) if the victim is deceased, their remains.

• Marginal note:Missing persons index

  (4.2) The missing persons index shall contain DNA profiles derived from bodily substances of a missing person, including bodily substances obtained from their personal effects.

• Marginal note:Relatives of missing persons index

  (4.3) The relatives of missing persons index shall contain DNA profiles derived from bodily substances of a person that are voluntarily submitted by them for the purpose of having their DNA profile added to the index, where their profile may assist in confirming the identity of a person whose DNA profile is contained in the missing persons index or human remains index.

• Marginal note:Human remains index

  (4.4) The human remains index shall contain DNA profiles derived from human remains.

• Marginal note:Voluntary donors index

  (4.5) The voluntary donors index shall contain DNA profiles derived from the bodily substances of a person, other than a victim of a designated offence, that are voluntarily submitted by them for the purpose of having their DNA profile added to the index, where their profile may be relevant to an investigation of a designated offence or of a missing person or human remains.

• Marginal note:Other information

  (5) In addition to the DNA profiles referred to in subsections (3) to (4.5), the DNA data bank shall contain, in relation to each of the profiles, information from which can be established

  • (a) in the case of a profile referred to in subsection (3) or any of subsections (4.1) to (4.4), the case number of the investigation associated with the bodily substance from which the profile was derived;

  • (b) in the case of a profile referred to in any of subsections (4) to (4.5), the identity of the person from whose bodily substance the profile was derived, if that identity is known; and

  • (c) in the case of a profile referred to in subsection (4.3), the stated biological or other relationship of the person from whose bodily substance the profile was derived with the person whose identity is to be confirmed.