Last Updated: February 17, 2011 7:41pm
TORONTO -- Ontario's putting up a $2 million roadblock to stop human trafficking.
"I want to say thanks to all those ... who have recognized human trafficking is a scourge on our society, who have recognized that human trafficking is the modern form of slavery," Attorney General Chris Bentley said Thursday.
Bentley, along with two cabinet colleagues and a bevy of high-ranking police officers, including Toronto's Chief Bill Blair, announced nearly $2 million over three years in new funding for enforcement and education measures aimed at the $32-billion global flesh trade.
The money will go to a special intelligence-gathering operation by the Ontario Provincial Police, beefing up Peel police's vice squad and dedicating two Crown attorneys as human-trafficking specialists to help shepherd cases towards convictions.
"All of which will build in the work that is already being undertaken, and from which we will learn so that we can take further initiatives to address this insidious activity," Bentley said.
Police estimate there are hundreds, if not thousands, of women and children trafficked through Canada every year, with Pearson International Airport being a major hub.
Lured by organized gangs, human-trafficking victims are coerced into the sex trade. They are often in the country without official status or the ability to speak English, which helps prevent them from coming forward to police.
The trade in humans is believed to be the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world, behind arms dealing and drugs.
NDP justice critic Peter Kormos derided the announcement as "pathetic" and said the money would barely cover much beyond the salaries of the two dedicated Crown attorneys.
"To respond to the women who are victims of sexploitation, that's not much of a commitment from (Premier Dalton) McGuinty," Kormos said.
Source: .torontosun.com
David Mackay Stone, 24, of Mississauga was arrested Thursday on charges of gang sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking and unlawful confinement. He was to appear in court in Milton Friday for a bail hearing where prosecutors were expected to urge that he be held in custody.
In October, 25-year-old Aldain Alando Beckford of Milton was charged with a total of 12 offences stemming from the same investigation. They include aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking, living off the proceeds of juvenile prostitution and a variety of weapons offences. Mr. Beckford remains behind bars awaiting trial.
Thursday’s arrest coincided with an announcement by the Ontario government that it is committing just under $2-million over the next three years to support victims of human trafficking in the province. The money – scorned by opposition critics as paltry – will be spent on specialized prosecution in the shape of two dedicated Crown attorneys, a 24-hour crisis hot-line, intelligence-gathering by the Ontario Provincial Police and extra officers for the vice unit of Peel Regional Police.
With several police leaders on hand, including Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, the initiative was outlined by Attorney-General Chris Bentley, who described human trafficking as “an appalling crime.”
Human trafficking takes numerous forms, from enforced prostitution to sweatshop labour, and the RCMP has estimated that up to 800 victims are brought into Canada each year by various means.
In this case, however, police believe the network allegedly run by Mr. Stone and Mr. Beckford was entirely a domestic prostitution operation, involving young women in Halton, Peel, Niagara, and the area in and around London. Detectives are also anxious to interview any victims who have so far not been identified.
“We want to make sure they’re doing it willingly, and if they’re not, we want them to contact us,” said Detective Sergeant Brad Cook of the Halton Regional Police child-abuse and sexual assault unit.
BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) - With it's close proximity to an international border and both Toronto and New York City, Buffalo and Western New York has become a major hub for human trafficking.
The number of human trafficking cases in Western New York has exploded in recent years, and now authorities say an alarming number of Buffalo residents are being forded into modern-day slavery.
Source: WKBC News
Human trafficking is happening in communities across Canada. On Tuesday, October 12, Benjamin Perrin puts forward a plan to stop it.
TORONTO, Oct 5 /CNW/ - Hear Benjamin Perrin's groundbreaking research about human trafficking in Canada and his proposed legislation and services that would end human trafficking in Canada. He makes recommendations to law enforcement, government and service providers in cities across the country. The press conference also kicks off Perrin's Canadian book tour to support his new book, Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking (tour details at the end of this alert).
Who:
When:
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
10:00-11:00 a.m. EST (Toronto)
7:00-8:00 a.m. PST (Vancouver)
After a 20-minute webcast presentation, press conference participants will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Where:
From your desktop.
How to attend:
Please RSVP at http://endmodernslaveryrelease.eventbrite.com to receive your access code to attend the webcast. Please direct inquiries to policy@maytree.com.
A recording of the event will be available online at http://www.endmoderndayslavery.ca/media/media-kit/.
Invisible Chains Book Tour
From October 12 to 27, Benjamin Perrin will be touring Canada to speak about his new book, Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking. Events will be held in:
Details of these events and more information about human trafficking in Canada are available on the website www.endmoderndayslavery.ca.
Benjamin Perrin is an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law, a faculty fellow at the Liu Institute for Global Issues, and a leading expert on human trafficking. As a senior policy adviser and a witness before several Parliamentary committees, he has advised the federal government on this issue. He has also worked overseas with victims and assisted in the prosecution of child sex offenders as executive director of The Future Group, a non-governmental organization that he founded in 2000 to combat human trafficking. In 2009, Perrin was honoured by Hillary Clinton and the U.S. State Department as a "hero acting to end modern-day slavery" - the first Canadian to be recognized by this award.
Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking is the first book ever published to expose the issue of human trafficking in Canada. The book is based on a three-year investigation into the problem and documents cases reported by police, provincial officials, immigration, and non-governmental organizations as well as accounts from victims and their families. It also evaluates Canada's response and makes specific recommendations to government, police and average Canadians. It is available in bookstores across Canada.
For Perrin's picture and cover of book, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/invisiblechains.
Media Inquiries:
Markus Stadelmann-Elder, Communications Manager, Maytree 416-944-2627 ext. 284, mselder@maytree.com
Barbara Bower, Senior Publicist, Penguin Group (Canada) 416-928-2405, Barbara.Bower@ca.penguingroup.com
