In this issue: CCR National Forum on Trafficking in Persons this month, CCR Labour Trafficking Backgrounder, Canadian Women’s Foundation National Task Force Report, new OSCE handbook and more…
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Issue No. 16 - November 2014
E-BULLETIN CONTENTS
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Important policy developments on trafficking
Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, Receives Royal Assent
On 6 November, Bill C-36 received Royal Assent and has been formally adopted as law.
The full text of the bill is available at: http://bit.ly/1tZbWRi.
The briefs presented on Bill C-36 are available at: http://bit.ly/10v918A.
Some media:
Canada Signs Bill Legalizing Sale of Sex, but Not Its Purchase, Newsweek, 10 November 2014: http://bit.ly/10WuVSn.
Bill C-36, Tories' Anti-Prostitution Law, Still Unconstitutional: Sex Workers, Advocates, Huffington Post Canada, 6 November 2014: http://huff.to/1v07bdd.
Tory prostitution bill gets Senate approval, The Globe and Mail, 4 November 2014: http://bit.ly/1s60xLh.
Senate passes controversial prostitution legislation C-36, CTV News, 4 November 2014: http://bit.ly/1GqzTrh.
On 6 November, Bill C-36 received Royal Assent and has been formally adopted as law.
The full text of the bill is available at: http://bit.ly/1tZbWRi.
The briefs presented on Bill C-36 are available at: http://bit.ly/10v918A.
Some media:
Canada Signs Bill Legalizing Sale of Sex, but Not Its Purchase, Newsweek, 10 November 2014: http://bit.ly/10WuVSn.
Bill C-36, Tories' Anti-Prostitution Law, Still Unconstitutional: Sex Workers, Advocates, Huffington Post Canada, 6 November 2014: http://huff.to/1v07bdd.
Tory prostitution bill gets Senate approval, The Globe and Mail, 4 November 2014: http://bit.ly/1s60xLh.
Senate passes controversial prostitution legislation C-36, CTV News, 4 November 2014: http://bit.ly/1GqzTrh.
CCR Labour Trafficking Backgrounder: Available Online and in Print Format
The CCR Backgrounder on Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labour is now available online and in print format.
This resource provides information on the various dimensions of trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced labour in Canada. It is meant to raise awareness about this issue in a Canadian context, and to illustrate some of the effects of recent policy shifts towards more precarious temporary immigration in Canada.
The Backgrounder is available in both English and French at: http://ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-forced-labour.
Migrant Labour Committee of Front de défense des non-syndiquéEs (FDNS - Defence Front of the Non-Unionized) Launches Migrant Workers Campaign
On 7 October, the Migrant Labour Committee of the FDNS launched a campaign, “Migrant Workers: not merchandise!” («Travailleuses et travailleurs migrants : pas des marchandises!»), aiming to raise awareness about the importance of respecting migrant workers’ human rights across Quebec.
The campaign will be carried out until 18 December, International Migrants Day. It specifically calls for:
To get involved, contact the Committee against trafficking internal and international (CATHII) at: http://www.cathii.org/contact.
The CCR Backgrounder on Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labour is now available online and in print format.This resource provides information on the various dimensions of trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced labour in Canada. It is meant to raise awareness about this issue in a Canadian context, and to illustrate some of the effects of recent policy shifts towards more precarious temporary immigration in Canada.
The Backgrounder is available in both English and French at: http://ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-forced-labour.
Migrant Labour Committee of Front de défense des non-syndiquéEs (FDNS - Defence Front of the Non-Unionized) Launches Migrant Workers Campaign
The campaign will be carried out until 18 December, International Migrants Day. It specifically calls for:
- Easier access to citizenship for all Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW);
- Work permits that are not tied to a single employer;
- TFW’s to have the right to change employers freely;
- The right to form unions across sectors, including the agricultural sector;
- Protection for domestic workers against occupational accidents and diseases;
- Labour inspectors to monitor the respect and enforcement of labour laws in companies employing TFWs.
To get involved, contact the Committee against trafficking internal and international (CATHII) at: http://www.cathii.org/contact.
Reports and media
Report of the Canadian Women’s Foundation National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada
The National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada, commissioned by the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF), has published its report entitled “"No More" Ending Sex Trafficking in Canada”. The Task Force was launched in 2012 by the CWF in an effort to develop a long-term strategy to address sex trafficking in Canada. The Canadian Council for Refugees was represented among the Task Force members with a view to highlighting the protection needs of migrant women and girls in Canada, as well as the immigration policies and gaps that increase their vulnerability to trafficking.
Among the Task Force’s recommendations to improve anti-trafficking policy and legislation in Canada are several focused on strengthening protections for migrant women and girls by:
The full Report of the National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada is available at: http://bit.ly/1tE9Cvu.
Other reports commissioned by the CWF documenting different discussions, assessments and research findings on sex trafficking in Canada can be found online: http://canadianwomen.org/reports/trafficking.
Report: Trafficking of Aboriginal Women and Girls, Prepared for Public Safety
This report was prepared by Dr. Yvonne Boyer and Peggy Kampouris of Red Willow Consulting for Public Safety Canada. The report documents research carried out between October 2013 and February 2014 and focuses on the history, risks, and vulnerabilities of Aboriginal women and girls particularly to sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Canada.
The full report is available at: http://bit.ly/1x4J5yF.
Media Reports
Months-long human trafficking investigation leads to arrest, CTV Winnipeg, 7 November: http://bit.ly/1t96mbu.
Teen who ran Ottawa prostitution ring sentenced for human trafficking, Toronto Star, 4 November 2014: http://on.thestar.com/1xJy2ZJ.
Man arrested, charged in human trafficking case, second is sought, Toronto Star, 17 October 2014: http://on.thestar.com/1vjGJMm.
Suspected pimp faces 38 charges in human trafficking case, CBC News, 17 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1u3ggLY.
Sex traffickers called 'master manipulators' in report, CBC News, 14 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1t0avzl.
Daphne Bramham: Medical detectives rescue Surrey and Abbotsford's human-trafficking victims, The Vancouver Sun, 8 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1xg1XJK.
Aboriginal women, girls targets for human trafficking, says new report, CBC News, 19 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1HbVqnM.
Reza Moazami convicted of human trafficking in teen prostitution case, CBC News, 15 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1uAr9de.
Unsealed search warrants reveal troubling details about Lev Tahor, The Gazette, 10 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1EWxzXh.
The National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada, commissioned by the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF), has published its report entitled “"No More" Ending Sex Trafficking in Canada”. The Task Force was launched in 2012 by the CWF in an effort to develop a long-term strategy to address sex trafficking in Canada. The Canadian Council for Refugees was represented among the Task Force members with a view to highlighting the protection needs of migrant women and girls in Canada, as well as the immigration policies and gaps that increase their vulnerability to trafficking.Among the Task Force’s recommendations to improve anti-trafficking policy and legislation in Canada are several focused on strengthening protections for migrant women and girls by:
- Entrenching Temporary Resident Permits (TRPs) in legislation;
- Ensuring TRPs are not conditional upon cooperation with police investigations or prosecutions;
- Eliminating work permits that are tied to specific employers;
- Creating stronger regulation of recruitment agencies providing services for immigrants.
The full Report of the National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada is available at: http://bit.ly/1tE9Cvu.
Other reports commissioned by the CWF documenting different discussions, assessments and research findings on sex trafficking in Canada can be found online: http://canadianwomen.org/reports/trafficking.
Report: Trafficking of Aboriginal Women and Girls, Prepared for Public Safety
This report was prepared by Dr. Yvonne Boyer and Peggy Kampouris of Red Willow Consulting for Public Safety Canada. The report documents research carried out between October 2013 and February 2014 and focuses on the history, risks, and vulnerabilities of Aboriginal women and girls particularly to sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Canada.
The full report is available at: http://bit.ly/1x4J5yF.
Media Reports
Months-long human trafficking investigation leads to arrest, CTV Winnipeg, 7 November: http://bit.ly/1t96mbu.
Teen who ran Ottawa prostitution ring sentenced for human trafficking, Toronto Star, 4 November 2014: http://on.thestar.com/1xJy2ZJ.
Man arrested, charged in human trafficking case, second is sought, Toronto Star, 17 October 2014: http://on.thestar.com/1vjGJMm.
Suspected pimp faces 38 charges in human trafficking case, CBC News, 17 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1u3ggLY.
Sex traffickers called 'master manipulators' in report, CBC News, 14 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1t0avzl.
Daphne Bramham: Medical detectives rescue Surrey and Abbotsford's human-trafficking victims, The Vancouver Sun, 8 October 2014: http://bit.ly/1xg1XJK.
Aboriginal women, girls targets for human trafficking, says new report, CBC News, 19 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1HbVqnM.
Reza Moazami convicted of human trafficking in teen prostitution case, CBC News, 15 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1uAr9de.
Unsealed search warrants reveal troubling details about Lev Tahor, The Gazette, 10 September 2014: http://bit.ly/1EWxzXh.
Trafficking-related events
CCR National Forum on Trafficking and Fall 2014 Consultation, 26 November
The CCR is holding its annual National Forum on Trafficking in Persons to take place on Wednesday, November 26 (10am – 5pm) the day before the CCR Fall 2014 Consultation in Gatineau.This Forum is an opportunity for non-governmental organizations, service providers and others working on trafficking issues in Canada to exchange information and best practices and to develop strategies to better meet the needs of trafficked persons in Canada. The Forum will also work towards identifying and analyzing policy concerns in order to establish priorities and specific actions to better protect the rights of trafficked persons in Canada.
A Workshop on Assisting trafficked persons to navigate through the immigration system will follow the Forum on Thursday, November 27 (1:30pm - 3pm) and will be held as part of the CCR Consultation.
To register, please go to: ccrweb.ca/en/registration-trafficking-forum-2014 (or register for the entire CCR consultation (including the Trafficking Forum here: ccrweb.ca/en/meetings).
For further information and updates, please consult: ccrweb.ca/en/trafficking-forum-2014.
International developments
New Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Handbook: How to prevent human trafficking for domestic servitude in diplomatic households and protect private domestic workers
The OSCE has published a new handbook on preventing human trafficking for the purpose of domestic servitude in diplomatic households. This handbook explores different ways of regulating the employment of domestic workers by diplomatic personnel and officials, and how to detect abuses. It looks at how to proceed in situations of exploitation, while ensuring the protection of domestic workers' rights.
The Handbook is available at: http://www.osce.org/handbook/domesticservitude
The OSCE has published a new handbook on preventing human trafficking for the purpose of domestic servitude in diplomatic households. This handbook explores different ways of regulating the employment of domestic workers by diplomatic personnel and officials, and how to detect abuses. It looks at how to proceed in situations of exploitation, while ensuring the protection of domestic workers' rights.The Handbook is available at: http://www.osce.org/handbook/domesticservitude