--- title: "Canada Says Astronauts Are No Longer Allowed to Murder Each Other" description: "Canada has snuck a Criminal Code amendment into its 2022 federal budget making it a crime to commit illegal acts — in outer space." date: "2022-05-02" modified: "2022-05-02" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/canada-illegal-crimes-space" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "canada" - "lunar gateway" - "the digest" --- # Canada Says Astronauts Are No Longer Allowed to Murder Each Other ![Canada has snuck a Criminal Code amendment into its 2022 federal budget making it a crime to commit illegal acts — in outer space.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Moon Mounties The Canadian government has snuck a Criminal Code amendment into its 2022 federal budget making it a crime to commit illegal acts in outer space, Canadian newspaper [*The National Post* reports](). Unsurprisingly, the sneaky amendment mostly refers to Canadian astronauts. "A Canadian crew member who, during a space flight, commits an act or omission outside Canada that if committed in Canada would constitute an indictable offence is deemed to have committed that act or omission in Canada," the proposed federal budget [Bill C-19]() reads. The amendment suggests, curiously, that it's technically not against Canadian law for a Canadian to murder another Canadian on the Moon right now. But the reality, unsurprisingly, is complex. While Canada did sign a [1998 treaty]() binding its astronauts to Canadian criminal law, the outcome of a Canadian astronaut committing crimes against another country's astronaut is far from clear, in the *National Post*'s analysis. ## Cosmic Crimes It's a fascinating new example of lawmakers becoming wary of an imminent future, with [more humans getting the opportunity to travel into space]() than ever before. The Canadian government is also likely preparing for its involvement in [NASA's Lunar Gateway](), the US space agency's planned space station in lunar orbit. So far, only nine Canadians have traveled into space since the mid 1980s. But with the Canadian Space Agency getting more involved in US efforts to populate the Moon and its orbit, astronauts will have to watch their back: space crimes committed by space travelers could have dire consequences upon their return. **READ MORE:** [Canadian astronauts no longer free to rob and kill with abandon in space or on the moon]() \[*The National Post*\] **More on Canadian astronauts:** *[Former Astronaut Details Quest to Grow Cannabinoids in Space]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()