Human trafficking occurs today throughout Canada. Not only are women and young girls trafficked into Canada from abroad, but Canadian women and girls are also trafficked throughout our provinces and cities. Young aboriginal girls are especially vulnerable and are trafficked from their reserves to cities in Canada and the US.
These victims aren’t just numbers and statistics. They are wives, mothers, and daughters. They suffer horrific mental, physical and sexual abuse during their captivity.
Canada has only seen one conviction of child trafficking (There are many more currently before the courts). The offender only received 3 years for trafficking a 15 year old girl and received 404 days credit for time served. In two years, he made over $350,000 by daily selling her for sex. In fact, he spent less time in jail for his crime than he did exploiting this young girl.
This is completely unacceptable!
On January 29, 2009, I introduced a Private Members’ Bill that would amend the Criminal Code to include a minimum sentence of five years for cases where the trafficked victims were under the age of eighteen. Bill C-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (minimum sentence for offences involving trafficking of persons under the age of eighteen years), is third on the order of precedence. This means C-268 will come up in March for second reading and could pass by the summer.
The trafficking of a minor is a terrible abuse of human rights and is expressly prohibited in UN Protocols (UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children) and also in Article 35 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child.
I believe that Canada must make clear that it will not tolerate the trafficking of its children. Based on the recent convictions, I believe there is a need for Parliament to provide additional guidance to the courts on the trafficking of minors and formally denounce the trafficking of minors.
I remain convinced that by working together, we can end human trafficking and slavery in Canada and abroad.
Sincerely,
Joy Smith, MP
Kildonan – St. Paul
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