Issue No. 11 - December 2013
E-BULLETIN CONTENTS
 Upcoming CCR events
Winter Working Group meetings, Friday, 28 February and Saturday, 1 March 2014, Toronto
Spring Consultation 2014, Thursday 29 May - Saturday 31 May, Halifax |
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Important policy developments on trafficking
Bill C-452 adopted unanimously by House of Commons
Bill C-452 was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons at Third Reading on 26 November. This bill was introduced by Member of Parliament Maria Mourani (Ahuntsic) in October 2012.
Bill C-452 will amend the Criminal Code by providing consecutive sentences for offences related to procuring and trafficking in persons; by creating a presumption regarding the exploitation of one person by another and adding circumstances that are deemed to constitute exploitation; and by adding the offences of procuring and trafficking in persons to the list of offences to which the forfeiture of proceeds of crime applies.
To read the text and follow the status of Bill C-452, please visit: http://bit.ly/1dGj5x9.
Reading of Bill C-517 will not proceed
On 23 October, the House of Commons unanimously decided to revoke the referral of Bill C-517 to Second Reading and to remove it from study. This bill was introduced by Member of Parliament Kelly Block (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar) on 3 June 2013. It was seeking to amend the Criminal Code to add minimum sentences for offences involving the trafficking of persons 18 years of age or older.
To read more about the session that took place on 23 October, please consult the journal at: http://bit.ly/J7j1Nh.
Bill C-452 was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons at Third Reading on 26 November. This bill was introduced by Member of Parliament Maria Mourani (Ahuntsic) in October 2012.
Bill C-452 will amend the Criminal Code by providing consecutive sentences for offences related to procuring and trafficking in persons; by creating a presumption regarding the exploitation of one person by another and adding circumstances that are deemed to constitute exploitation; and by adding the offences of procuring and trafficking in persons to the list of offences to which the forfeiture of proceeds of crime applies.
To read the text and follow the status of Bill C-452, please visit: http://bit.ly/1dGj5x9.
Reading of Bill C-517 will not proceed
On 23 October, the House of Commons unanimously decided to revoke the referral of Bill C-517 to Second Reading and to remove it from study. This bill was introduced by Member of Parliament Kelly Block (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar) on 3 June 2013. It was seeking to amend the Criminal Code to add minimum sentences for offences involving the trafficking of persons 18 years of age or older.
To read more about the session that took place on 23 October, please consult the journal at: http://bit.ly/J7j1Nh.
Cercle des femmes parlementaires du Québec introduce motion on trafficking in persons
The National Assembly adopted a motion concerning trafficking in persons on 6 December as part of the 12 days of action against violence against women. This motion was put forward by the Cercle des femmes parlementaires du Québec, a non-partisan think tank and working group involving a group of 41 women deputies in Parliament.
To read the motion (in French), please consult: http://bit.ly/1kjZhB1.
Announcements
New CCR resource: Starter Toolkit for Awareness-Raising on Trafficking in Persons
The CCR has published a Starter Toolkit intended for anyone wishing to start or enhance existing outreach and awareness-raising activities on trafficking in persons in their own communities, organizations and sectors.
The toolkit highlights Canadian and international resources that are used daily by organizations across Canada in their work on trafficking. Its focus is primarily on the trafficking of non-citizens in Canada; however resources can also offer useful guidance to those raising awareness about other trafficking situations.
The toolkit was developed by the CCR in collaboration with anti-trafficking groups across Canada, and has been supported with a grant from the Canadian Women's Foundation.
How can you access the tool kit? The toolkit is available online in English and French: ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-starter-kit.
We encourage you to share this toolkit among your networks and to send your comments to trafficking@ccrweb.ca.
Resource and support needs for trafficked persons across Canada
The CCR supports and coordinates anti-trafficking efforts across the country aimed at broadening and strengthening the network of NGOs working to protect trafficked persons through awareness-raising and service provision. We support the work of NGOs primarily through resources and opportunities for exchanging information and strategizing at the national level.
As part of these efforts, the CCR is looking to gather and to update information on the tools available to assist trafficked persons, as well as organizations working to support them across Canada. We are interested in your feedback and comments regarding:
Visit the CCR Anti-Trafficking Resource Database to browse through resources that can help you in your work: http://ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-resources.
CCR National Forum and Workshop on Trafficking held in Kitchener-Waterloo
On 27 and 29 November 2013, the CCR hosted its National Forum and Workshop on Trafficking in conjunction with the CCR Fall 2013 Consultation in Kitchener-Waterloo.
The Forum and workshop provided an opportunity for representatives of different backgrounds to exchange ideas in assisting trafficked persons in Canada. The events also facilitated a discussion on current priorities in the areas of policy development, awareness-raising and service provision. Participants included representatives of non-governmental organizations, service providers, academics, as well as representatives of different levels of government and law enforcement involved in work on trafficking. Those present primarily came from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
A summary report will be available soon on the CCR anti-trafficking campaign page at trafficking.ca.
For more information, please contact Samanta García-Fialdini at: sgarcia@ccrweb.ca.
An event entitled “Les travailleuses et les travailleurs migrants: des personnes comme les autres, pas des marchandises!” will be held the 18 December in Montreal as part of the Global Day of Action against Racism and International Migrants Day.
The program for the event is available at: http://bit.ly/IUsEhc.
Please confirm your attendance by contacting: journee.internationale.migrants@gmail.com.
Second Roundtable: Building Collaboration to Combat Human Trafficking in the City of Toronto, 20 February 2014, Toronto, ON
The second of a series of roundtables concerning trafficking in persons in the City of Toronto will be held the 20 February 2014.
This roundtable aims to facilitate the dialogue between multi‐sector stakeholders to address the issue of trafficking in the City of Toronto. It will feature presentations by multi‐sector stakeholders who dedicate their work to counter trafficking in persons followed by working group discussions.
For more information, please contact Varka Kalaydzhieva at (416) 469‐9754, ext.222, or varka@fcjrefugeecentre.org.
The CCR has published a Starter Toolkit intended for anyone wishing to start or enhance existing outreach and awareness-raising activities on trafficking in persons in their own communities, organizations and sectors.The toolkit highlights Canadian and international resources that are used daily by organizations across Canada in their work on trafficking. Its focus is primarily on the trafficking of non-citizens in Canada; however resources can also offer useful guidance to those raising awareness about other trafficking situations.
The toolkit was developed by the CCR in collaboration with anti-trafficking groups across Canada, and has been supported with a grant from the Canadian Women's Foundation.
How can you access the tool kit? The toolkit is available online in English and French: ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-starter-kit.
We encourage you to share this toolkit among your networks and to send your comments to trafficking@ccrweb.ca.
Resource and support needs for trafficked persons across Canada
The CCR supports and coordinates anti-trafficking efforts across the country aimed at broadening and strengthening the network of NGOs working to protect trafficked persons through awareness-raising and service provision. We support the work of NGOs primarily through resources and opportunities for exchanging information and strategizing at the national level.
As part of these efforts, the CCR is looking to gather and to update information on the tools available to assist trafficked persons, as well as organizations working to support them across Canada. We are interested in your feedback and comments regarding:
- Gaps and needs that you see in the protection of trafficked persons;
- Tools that would help you the most to guide or support your awareness-raising efforts;
- Tools that would help you the most to improve service provision to trafficked persons.
Visit the CCR Anti-Trafficking Resource Database to browse through resources that can help you in your work: http://ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-resources.
CCR National Forum and Workshop on Trafficking held in Kitchener-Waterloo
On 27 and 29 November 2013, the CCR hosted its National Forum and Workshop on Trafficking in conjunction with the CCR Fall 2013 Consultation in Kitchener-Waterloo.
The Forum and workshop provided an opportunity for representatives of different backgrounds to exchange ideas in assisting trafficked persons in Canada. The events also facilitated a discussion on current priorities in the areas of policy development, awareness-raising and service provision. Participants included representatives of non-governmental organizations, service providers, academics, as well as representatives of different levels of government and law enforcement involved in work on trafficking. Those present primarily came from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
A summary report will be available soon on the CCR anti-trafficking campaign page at trafficking.ca.
For more information, please contact Samanta García-Fialdini at: sgarcia@ccrweb.ca.
Reports and media
Public Safety Canada publishes two reports and a local safety audit guide
National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking - 2012-2013 Annual Report on Progress
On 9 December, the Minister of Public Safety announced the release of the annual report on the efforts carried out as part of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking between 2012 and 2013.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/1gT6S9O.
2012-2013 Human Trafficking Stakeholder Consultations - National Summary Report
The summary report on the stakeholder consultations held in the past year is also now available. This report provides a summary of the common messages and main findings obtained within a national framework. It also offers an overview of the regional responses and international priorities provided by participating stakeholders.
The summary report of the 2012-2013 consultations is available at: http://bit.ly/1fre4cN.
Local Safety Audit Guide: To Prevent Trafficking in Persons and Related Exploitation
A local safety audit guide has been developed to support local prevention efforts against trafficking in persons and exploitation. This guide provides a general context of trafficking across Canada and highlights some steps to guide the development of local audits and prevention action plans. This guide also draws attention to some of the populations that may be at risk and suggests questions to consider in order to identify vulnerable groups locally and to support the creation of a comprehensive plan.
The local safety audit guide is available at: http://bit.ly/JgDgaA.
Study by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec: The Portrait of Pimping and Trafficking in Persons in Quebec
In September 2013, the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec (Service du renseignement criminel du Québec) published a provincial portrait of pimping and trafficking in persons.
The study’s objectives are to clarify different interpretations of the activities found in connection to sexual exploitation, such as pimping, prostitution and trafficking in persons. It offers a portrait of survivors of trafficking, of prostitution, and of pimps, providing an overview of the practices employed and exposing the impacts of sexual exploitation on survivors. This document is particularly targeted to law enforcement agents.
The study is available (in French) online, at: http://bit.ly/18pF7A1.
The Case for a National Action Plan on Violence against Women: a call from the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses
A report entitled “The Case for a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women” has been published by the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses, resulting from a research carried out between January and June of 2013 that is linked to a project on Mapping VAW Policies & Opportunities. The report reviews policies, legislation, and provincial / territorial action plans relevant to VAW. It also looks at necessary resources for the protection and the support of survivors, as well as for the prevention of VAW.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/19HySrX. A summary is also available at: http://bit.ly/IUs4QA.
Media Reports
National
Public Safety minister announces RCMP unit to fight human-trafficking, Ottawa Citizen, 9 December 2013: http://bit.ly/18nX7QR.
RCMP sets up special squad to fight human trafficking, The Gazette, 9 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1jTxRVm.
Alberta
Opinion: Sensationalism distorts human trafficking debate, Edmonton Journal, 31 October 2013: http://bit.ly/1d9Pn2o.
Campaign launched to end sexual exploitation in Edmonton, Global News, 28 October 2013: http://bit.ly/1hPaRY2.
Dirty Little Secret: Edmonton Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking Worse Than Perceived, Says Campaign, Huffington Post, 30 October 2013: http://huff.to/1bHPAeY.
SexWork4U.com Edmonton Child Sex Worker Posters Met with Rage, Confusion, The Huffington Post Alberta, 18 October 2013: http://huff.to/JiWH3g.
British Columbia
B.C. judge finds West Vancouver woman not guilty of human trafficking of young African, Vancouver Sun, 23 November 2013: http://bit.ly/18Xksth.
SkyTrain station sexual exploitation ring shut down, CBC News, 1 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1byV2fM.
B.C. man sentenced to 18 months in nanny-trafficking case, CTV News, 15 October 2013: http://bit.ly/18XnwFP.
Manitoba
New police unit targets sex trade, human trafficking, CBC News, 8 November 2013: http://bit.ly/JbckJl.
Ontario
Human trafficking a 'rising crime trend' in Waterloo Region, CBC News, 3 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1gfIUIt.
Man accused of luring Cambridge girl into prostitution, The Record, 2 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1kDyBv9.
Human-trafficking conference hears from former victim of trade, Ottawa Citizen, 14 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1bI6Mkx.
Toronto Police Announce Results of Project 'Spade', Toronto Police, 14 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1bIdc2T.
Teen girls plead guilty in human trafficking case, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 September 2013: http://bit.ly/1dtSanu.
Québec
Police arrest 3 accused madams with links to human trafficking, CTV News, 29 November 2013: http://bit.ly/II1gUh.
Le maire Coderre veut éradiquer les salons de massage érotique, La Presse, 18 November 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/1jTfGyV.
Pornographie juvénile : 10 adolescents arrêtés à Laval, Radio-Canada, 14 November 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/JbeZTk.
Man charged with human trafficking faces new charges, The Gazette, 7 November 2013: http://bit.ly/19EZLwt.
Thunder Bay youth 'exploited' more than people realize, CBC News, 5 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1d9Xxrk.
Un réseau de traite des personnes démantelé à Montréal, La Presse, 23 octobre 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/1kDnRNz.
National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking - 2012-2013 Annual Report on Progress
On 9 December, the Minister of Public Safety announced the release of the annual report on the efforts carried out as part of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking between 2012 and 2013.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/1gT6S9O.
2012-2013 Human Trafficking Stakeholder Consultations - National Summary Report
The summary report on the stakeholder consultations held in the past year is also now available. This report provides a summary of the common messages and main findings obtained within a national framework. It also offers an overview of the regional responses and international priorities provided by participating stakeholders.
The summary report of the 2012-2013 consultations is available at: http://bit.ly/1fre4cN.
Local Safety Audit Guide: To Prevent Trafficking in Persons and Related Exploitation
A local safety audit guide has been developed to support local prevention efforts against trafficking in persons and exploitation. This guide provides a general context of trafficking across Canada and highlights some steps to guide the development of local audits and prevention action plans. This guide also draws attention to some of the populations that may be at risk and suggests questions to consider in order to identify vulnerable groups locally and to support the creation of a comprehensive plan.
The local safety audit guide is available at: http://bit.ly/JgDgaA.
Study by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec: The Portrait of Pimping and Trafficking in Persons in Quebec
In September 2013, the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec (Service du renseignement criminel du Québec) published a provincial portrait of pimping and trafficking in persons.
The study’s objectives are to clarify different interpretations of the activities found in connection to sexual exploitation, such as pimping, prostitution and trafficking in persons. It offers a portrait of survivors of trafficking, of prostitution, and of pimps, providing an overview of the practices employed and exposing the impacts of sexual exploitation on survivors. This document is particularly targeted to law enforcement agents.
The study is available (in French) online, at: http://bit.ly/18pF7A1.
The Case for a National Action Plan on Violence against Women: a call from the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses
A report entitled “The Case for a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women” has been published by the Canadian Network of Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses, resulting from a research carried out between January and June of 2013 that is linked to a project on Mapping VAW Policies & Opportunities. The report reviews policies, legislation, and provincial / territorial action plans relevant to VAW. It also looks at necessary resources for the protection and the support of survivors, as well as for the prevention of VAW.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/19HySrX. A summary is also available at: http://bit.ly/IUs4QA.
Media Reports
National
Public Safety minister announces RCMP unit to fight human-trafficking, Ottawa Citizen, 9 December 2013: http://bit.ly/18nX7QR.
RCMP sets up special squad to fight human trafficking, The Gazette, 9 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1jTxRVm.
Alberta
Opinion: Sensationalism distorts human trafficking debate, Edmonton Journal, 31 October 2013: http://bit.ly/1d9Pn2o.
Campaign launched to end sexual exploitation in Edmonton, Global News, 28 October 2013: http://bit.ly/1hPaRY2.
Dirty Little Secret: Edmonton Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking Worse Than Perceived, Says Campaign, Huffington Post, 30 October 2013: http://huff.to/1bHPAeY.
SexWork4U.com Edmonton Child Sex Worker Posters Met with Rage, Confusion, The Huffington Post Alberta, 18 October 2013: http://huff.to/JiWH3g.
British Columbia
B.C. judge finds West Vancouver woman not guilty of human trafficking of young African, Vancouver Sun, 23 November 2013: http://bit.ly/18Xksth.
SkyTrain station sexual exploitation ring shut down, CBC News, 1 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1byV2fM.
B.C. man sentenced to 18 months in nanny-trafficking case, CTV News, 15 October 2013: http://bit.ly/18XnwFP.
Manitoba
New police unit targets sex trade, human trafficking, CBC News, 8 November 2013: http://bit.ly/JbckJl.
Ontario
Human trafficking a 'rising crime trend' in Waterloo Region, CBC News, 3 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1gfIUIt.
Man accused of luring Cambridge girl into prostitution, The Record, 2 December 2013: http://bit.ly/1kDyBv9.
Human-trafficking conference hears from former victim of trade, Ottawa Citizen, 14 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1bI6Mkx.
Toronto Police Announce Results of Project 'Spade', Toronto Police, 14 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1bIdc2T.
Teen girls plead guilty in human trafficking case, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 September 2013: http://bit.ly/1dtSanu.
Québec
Police arrest 3 accused madams with links to human trafficking, CTV News, 29 November 2013: http://bit.ly/II1gUh.
Le maire Coderre veut éradiquer les salons de massage érotique, La Presse, 18 November 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/1jTfGyV.
Pornographie juvénile : 10 adolescents arrêtés à Laval, Radio-Canada, 14 November 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/JbeZTk.
Man charged with human trafficking faces new charges, The Gazette, 7 November 2013: http://bit.ly/19EZLwt.
Thunder Bay youth 'exploited' more than people realize, CBC News, 5 November 2013: http://bit.ly/1d9Xxrk.
Un réseau de traite des personnes démantelé à Montréal, La Presse, 23 octobre 2013 (French only): http://bit.ly/1kDnRNz.
Trafficking-related events
International Migrants Day Event, 18 December 2013, Montreal, QCAn event entitled “Les travailleuses et les travailleurs migrants: des personnes comme les autres, pas des marchandises!” will be held the 18 December in Montreal as part of the Global Day of Action against Racism and International Migrants Day.
The program for the event is available at: http://bit.ly/IUsEhc.
Please confirm your attendance by contacting: journee.internationale.migrants@gmail.com.
Second Roundtable: Building Collaboration to Combat Human Trafficking in the City of Toronto, 20 February 2014, Toronto, ON
The second of a series of roundtables concerning trafficking in persons in the City of Toronto will be held the 20 February 2014.This roundtable aims to facilitate the dialogue between multi‐sector stakeholders to address the issue of trafficking in the City of Toronto. It will feature presentations by multi‐sector stakeholders who dedicate their work to counter trafficking in persons followed by working group discussions.
For more information, please contact Varka Kalaydzhieva at (416) 469‐9754, ext.222, or varka@fcjrefugeecentre.org.
International developments
Third report of the Council of Europe Convention against trafficking in human beings (GRETA)
On 17 October, GRETA, the monitoring body for the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, published its third report of activities. The report reviews the efforts of ten European countries (Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Leetonia, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal and the UK) throughout August 2012 to July 2013.
The report highlights the need to prevent trafficking by addressing the root causes of the problem. It further indicates the need to develop specific policies that focus on vulnerable groups, such as refugee claimants and members of the Roma community. Moreover, it stresses the important role of the media and the private sector in strengthening protection. Finally, the report condemns the low restitution rates for survivors of trafficking and the uncertain access to protection for trafficked persons.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/II4APd.
On 17 October, GRETA, the monitoring body for the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, published its third report of activities. The report reviews the efforts of ten European countries (Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Leetonia, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal and the UK) throughout August 2012 to July 2013.
The report highlights the need to prevent trafficking by addressing the root causes of the problem. It further indicates the need to develop specific policies that focus on vulnerable groups, such as refugee claimants and members of the Roma community. Moreover, it stresses the important role of the media and the private sector in strengthening protection. Finally, the report condemns the low restitution rates for survivors of trafficking and the uncertain access to protection for trafficked persons.
The report is available at: http://bit.ly/II4APd.