Bill on the table to punish human traffickers
Over the past several years, spurred on by the film Amazing Grace, momentum has been building in the Christian community to stop human trafficking, particularly of women and children. In January, MP Joy Smith took an important step in this area by introducing a private member's bill, Bill C-268, to require minimum sentences for anyone convicted of trafficking children.
Private members' bills (bills introduced by individual MPs rather than by the government) rarely pass in the House of Commons. But this piece of legislation has support from MPs in all parties.
Bill C-268 provides a series of minimum sentences for anyone found guilty of trafficking a person under the age of 18. The International Covenant on the Rights of the Child classifies children as individuals under 18 years of age.
How much of a problem is child trafficking in Canada? I think many of us have preferred to look the other way rather than realize that prostitution and the production of pornography are happening on a large scale in Canada. Unfortunately, aboriginal women and children are particular targets.
The U.S. State Department released a report in 2006 that says 800 people are trafficked into Canada each year and a further 1,500 to 2,200 are trafficked through Canada to the U.S. Some organizations estimate that real numbers are 10 times higher.
The RCMP estimated in 2005 that 600 women and children are trafficked into Canada each year for sexual exploitation alone. They estimate a further 800 were trafficked for other purposes such as the garment industry and the drug trade.
There is little reliable data on Canadians trafficked within Canada.
Joy Smith says on her website that there are many cases of trafficking women and children currently before the courts although there has so far only been one conviction. The conviction she mentions in Canada relates to a man who trafficked a 15-year-old girl. In only two years, he made over $350,000 selling her for sex. He was given a three year sentence.
Recent news reports show that there is a thriving business in underage prostitutes. A couple was charged last summer in Gatineau, Quebec with controlling three 17-year-old girls they had lured off the streets of Ottawa into prostitution.
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced in 2008 to four years in jail for turning her house into a brothel for underage girls, one under the age of 13. This woman had three children of her own living in the house.
Four years seems like an incredibly low sentence for ruining the lives of so many young people.
The Amazing Grace movie that focused on William Wilberforce and his work in ending the slave trade in the British Empire, encouraged Christians to look around to world and see injustice. International Justice Mission, with an office in Canada, was already working on issues of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children.
Several new organizations have also started to combat human trafficking. The Amazing Change organization was inspired by the movie. Stop the Traffik is a global coalition that formed in 2008 to work toward ending human trafficking.
While it is inspiring to see the global campaign, and truly, this is an international issue, it is important to fight against this evil in our own backyard. That is why Bill C-268 is important.
Joy Smith's bill is third from the top on the list of private members' bills being considered in this session of Parliament. This means that with some encouragement from Canadians, it could even pass before summer. It will be debated for the second time in March or April.
It does need some help, though. MPs will only vote for this bill if they think it matters to their constituents. It is time to write to your MP. Join the Facebook group. Write to the Minister of Justice. This is one small step but a step in the right direction.
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
