Image via WikipediaOctober 27, 20`0 By BIAN LILLEY, Parliamentary Bureau | |||
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OTTAWA - A coalition of activists, police, aboriginal leaders and an MP called for a national strategy to combat human trafficking.
The federal government recently unveiled an awareness campaign called Code Blue aimed at raising awareness of the problem. But while the activists applaud that move, they say making the public aware of problem is only part of the solution: There must also be more done to help vicitims.
Conservative MP Joy Smith pointed to arrests since the start of October in Toronto, Hamilton, Ont., Kitchener, Ont, Milton, Ont., Burnaby, B.C., to prove that the problem is real. Victims included Canadians and foreigners smuggled into the country for forced labour or as forced prostitutes.
“The profitable and clandestine nature of trafficking in persons in Canada requires a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach,” said Smith.
Smith said her proposal would not require any new investment from the federal or provincial governments because most programs are already there, but without greater co-ordination, police and social service agencies cannot connect the dots between where victims are and what they need.
Benjamin Perrin, an expert on the subject of human trafficking, told the story of one woman who escaped from the people smuggling her into Canada when she landed at Toronto’s Pearson airport. Due to a lack of co-ordination between the federal and provincial government, this victim of human trafficking was forced to stay in an immigration holding cell while her case was sorted.
The group led by Smith said they would present their 29-page report to Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a meeting on Wednesday.
Activists call for greater efforts on human trafficking http://bit.ly/b5CJl6
Source: CNEWS
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