:
I call to order meeting 27 of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are doing a study of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and human trafficking.
We welcome our witnesses. From the Department of Citizenship and Immigration we have Rick Stewart, associate assistant deputy minister, operations. From the Royal Canadian Mounted Police we have Superintendent Michel Aubin, director, federal and international operations; Sergeant Marie-Claude Arsenault, non-commissioned officer, national coordination centre. We also have, from the Department of Public Safety, Barry MacKillop, from the law enforcement and border strategies directorate. And from the Canada Border Services Agency we have Megan Imrie, director of the horizontal policy and planning division.
We have a full slate this morning, and then we have a little bit of committee business. I'm going to save the bit of committee business because it's really quite important committee business.
Let us begin. You must know the rules by now. Each group--and there are four groups--has ten minutes, and if there is more than one of you representing the group, you can divide the ten minutes among you. After that, we have a first round of questioning that will take seven minutes each and then a second round that will take five minutes each. However, the question and answer are included in the seven minutes and in the five minutes. So I'm going to ask you to be brief, both as questioners and respondents. Thank you very much.
We will begin with Rick Stewart, associate assistant deputy minister of operations.
:
Actually, I was roped into it, Madam Chair. You never want to go first, but you do it.
[Translation]
Good morning. I would like to thank the committee for this opportunity today to outline the government's efforts to combat human trafficking in Canada and to address specific concerns that have been raised regarding the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
As co-chair of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, my comments will focus primarily on overall efforts to curtail this crime. My colleagues from the public safety portfolio, namely the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency, can provide additional background and information on their respective efforts to date to combat human trafficking, leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Following their remarks, my colleague from Citizenship and Immigration Canada will provide information on the protection of victims and temporary resident permits.
I would like to begin by reiterating the government's commitment to protect our communities, including foreign visitors to Canada, from all forms of exploitation, whether forced labour or sexual exploitation. Human trafficking is truly a horrific crime, and we take this issue very seriously.
[English]
In Canada, our efforts are guided by and consistent with the UN protocol to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Our responses to combat human trafficking are based on the four Ps: preventing trafficking, protecting victims, prosecuting offenders, and partnership-building, both domestically and internationally.
Since 2004, federal efforts have been overseen by the interdepartmental working group on trafficking in persons. As you may be aware, the working group is co-chaired by the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Justice and is comprised of 17 federal departments and agencies. This working group serves as a federal repository of expertise on combatting all forms of human trafficking and to ensure that we have a coordinated and comprehensive approach to this complex issue.
Over the past few years there have been a number of claims in Canada and abroad that major world events, like the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, provide an opportunity for organized crime and other criminals to profit from the sexual exploitation of women in order to meet an increased demand for sex, in particular. For instance, prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, considerable concerns were raised that this event would contribute to a sharp increase in trafficking for sexual exploitation in Germany. At the time, media reports suggested that prostitution would increase and that up to 40,000 women could be trafficked.
Fortunately, independent reviews following the 2006 World Cup found that no increase in human trafficking occurred during or after that sporting event. This is in large part attributed to the proactive efforts of German authorities and non-governmental organizations to prevent this crime and promote awareness.
By assessing the strategies of countries that have hosted major sporting events, we have learned that prevention and awareness initiatives are key to ensuring that events such as the upcoming 2010 winter games in Vancouver and Whistler do not represent an opportunity to exploit people. Specifically, we have learned that targeted training for law enforcement officials and clear protocols for responding to the needs of victims are among the necessary components of a successful strategy to address any potential increase in human trafficking around major sporting events.
We have also examined reports such as the Future Group's report entitled Faster, Higher, Stronger: Preventing Human Trafficking at the 2010 Olympics, which makes a number of recommendations, such as deterring trafficking through public education and awareness and deterring trafficking networks through law enforcement responses.
[Translation]
I want to assure you that our approach is consistent with international experience and stakeholder recommendations. For over a year now, the Interdepartmental Working Group on Trafficking in Persons has paid particular attention to ensure that our approach to combat human trafficking address these concerns.
Federal officials have been and will continue to work with their provincial counterparts in British Columbia, including the B.C. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons, the RCMP Border Integrity Program in B.C., and the Vancouver Police Department, in order to share information, build on existing strategies and ensure a coordinated response.
Federal working group officials have met with the RCMP Integrated Security Unit and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games to discuss how best to incorporate federal anti-trafficking measures into overall security planning. We will continue to work in collaboration with them in order to advance prevention efforts.
[English]
On January 15, 2009, the Minister of Public Safety announced a partnership between Public Safety Canada, the RCMP, and the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association to develop a national awareness campaign that will inform the public of the potential dangers of human trafficking, help the public identify suspected occurrences, and provide information on how to report suspected cases. Through this partnership, the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association will also use its national tip line as a central point for the public to report suspected cases of human trafficking.
Over the past few months, Crime Stoppers has been actively training its call centre employees and its board of directors to identify suspected cases of human trafficking, to raise awareness of the issue in local communities. Simultaneously, Crime Stoppers has been developing promotional materials to raise public awareness about human trafficking, which is expected to be launched in the fall of 2009. Their “blue blindfold” campaign builds on the campaign launched a year ago by Crime Stoppers International and the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre.
Leading up to the Olympics, Crime Stoppers will place a particular emphasis on awareness tools in the Vancouver area. In terms of awareness-building for enforcement officials and other partners, the RCMP human trafficking national coordination centre has developed tools and protocols to facilitate human trafficking investigations and raise awareness in the Vancouver area and B.C. interior, as well as nationally.
My colleague from the RCMP will provide additional information on the measures it's taking in particular in advance of the winter games. As my colleague from the CBSA will shortly explain, in protecting our shared border the CBSA will continue to manage the flow of people and goods to and from Canada prior to, during, and following the winter games.
[Translation]
Madam Chair, there is no greater responsibility for a government than to protect the safety and security of its citizens. As we approach the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which are only eight months away—and we are well aware of that—we will continue to build on our current efforts to promote awareness, cooperation and coordination of efforts so that the Olympic Games take place in a safe and secure environment for all Canadians and international visitors.
Thank you again for this opportunity, and I would now ask my colleague, Michel Aubin of the RCMP, to say a few words.
Thank you.
:
Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee, for the invitation to speak to you today.
[Translation]
I am Superintendent Michel Aubin, the Director of the RCMP's Immigration and Passport Branch at national headquarters in Ottawa.
My branch is responsible for human trafficking and human smuggling matters across Canada. I am joined today by my colleague, Sergeant Marie-Claude Arsenault of the RCMP Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre. We are pleased to have the opportunity to speak to you today about the considerable efforts of law enforcement in combatting human trafficking activity before, during and following the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
[English]
The RCMP is committed to combating human trafficking, both at home and abroad. In 2005 the RCMP established the Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre, referred to as the HTNCC. It operates on behalf of all law enforcement in Canada, not solely on behalf of the RCMP. The centre develops tools, coordinates national awareness training and anti-trafficking initiatives, develops partnerships, and coordinates intelligence for dissemination among law enforcement agencies in Canada.
Although it is difficult to compare major events planned in Canada with those that occur in other countries, as the laws and circumstances may not correspond, we are aware that individuals may use the Olympics and Paralympic Games to profit from criminal activity. What we have learned is that awareness and prevention are positive factors in mitigating the risk of increased occurrences of human trafficking.
In preparation for the games, the RCMP is conducting a number of activities in the Vancouver area and across Canada. The RCMP, in conjunction with its partners, has developed a human trafficking awareness workshop, which is being delivered to law enforcement people and prosecutors across the country. Workshops were delivered in the Vancouver area in October 2008. Additional workshops are taking place this week in the Vancouver and Victoria area, and more are planned for delivery in October 2009 in the Vancouver area and in various locations in the B.C. interior.
As part of its program, the RCMP has human trafficking awareness coordinators in each of the regional investigative teams dedicated to preventing human trafficking. Key responsibilities of these coordinators include raising awareness among, and developing strong relationships with, law enforcement, government agencies, NGOs, and the public in all provinces and territories. These established networks are critical in enabling police and NGOs to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking. In British Columbia in particular, a strong partnership has been established between the human trafficking coordinator and the provincial office to combat human trafficking. They work together during human trafficking operations to protect identified victims.
Members of the Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre and these coordinators have travelled extensively across Canada and internationally to raise awareness on human trafficking issues. To date, they have trained over 16,000 law enforcement, government, and non-government organizations across Canada on this very issue. They will continue to work closely with partners in British Columbia leading up to the games.
To ensure that members of the law enforcement community, relevant NGOs, and the public are made more aware of this issue, the RCMP has developed a human trafficking awareness tool kit to help identify potential victims as well as their traffickers. The tool kit has been distributed to all law enforcement agencies in Canada as well as to the various NGOs involved in the fight against human trafficking.
For your information, the tool kit contains an awareness video, victim assistance guidelines, posters, a police officer's handbook, a pamphlet, and a contact card. The RCMP has been working with the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association in their effort to launch a human trafficking public awareness campaign. As a result of this partnership, the Crime Stoppers tip-line phone number has been added to all RCMP human trafficking awareness materials.
[Translation]
Other ongoing initiatives with international partners include the following: consultation, both nationally and internationally, to learn and share best practices; MOUs being developed; awareness sessions provided to RCMP international liaison officers and law enforcement officers participating in UN missions abroad; and awareness sessions and training provided to law enforcement agencies in other countries regarding specific problems.
[English]
The RCMP leads the 2010 Integrated Security Unit Joint Intelligence Group. This unit monitors intelligence on criminal activities related to the Olympics and Paralympic Games, including human trafficking. As I mentioned earlier, the Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre coordinates and disseminates intelligence to law enforcement groups across Canada, including the Integrated Security Unit Joint Intelligence Group.
The RCMP is also currently conducting a national threat assessment to assess the situation in Canada with a focus on international human trafficking. The goal of the threat assessment is to identify criminal organizations involved in human trafficking. This will provide law enforcement with a guide to further direct its resources on this issue.
The RCMP program has members placed strategically in six key areas across Canada, dedicated to combating human smuggling and human trafficking. When human trafficking is detected, units are available to investigate. In British Columbia, leading up to the games, law enforcement is conducting proactive operations to detect human trafficking activities and is responding accordingly to the intelligence activities.
As human trafficking has no borders, law enforcement requires shared strategic priorities and the devotion of resources toward achieving common goals. The RCMP works with its partners to achieve such integration. Given the enormity of the task of keeping Canada safe, especially during major events, a multi-Iayered and multi-agency approach to enforcement is required.
[Translation]
Thank you for this opportunity to speak to your committee today, and I will be available to answer questions.
[Translation]
Good morning everyone. Thank you very much for asking me to appear before the committee today.
[English]
My name is Megan Imrie. I am a director within the enforcement branch of the Canada Border Services Agency. I'm very pleased to be here today representing the agency.
I'd like to begin by telling you about how our agency deals with the important issue of trafficking in persons. The CBSA is committed to the Government of Canada's approach to combatting trafficking in persons by detecting and preventing trafficking operations and the transport of victims to Canada.
The CBSA's trafficking in persons--TIP--policy is consistent with our overall mandate of managing Canada's borders and fighting cross-border crime by preventing the irregular movement of people even before they reach Canadian territory.
[Translation]
The Canada Border Services Agency is engaged in multiple initiatives and continues to work with its counterparts in the public safety (PS) portfolio and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to mitigate TIP activities leading up to and during the Olympics.
[English]
The CBSA's responsibilities in relation to combatting TIP include working with overseas partners to combat irregular migration that may include TIP; detecting and intercepting fraudulently obtained documents to help prevent the transportation of potential TIP victims to Canada; and, upon detection of potential trafficking-in-persons victims, assisting in the safety and security of potential victims by separating them from the suspected human traffickers.
The Canada Border Services Agency provides assistance in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking offenders. The CBSA works with key partner agencies in Canada--such as Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local police agencies, and non-government organizations--to ensure that victims are provided with the necessary referrals and assistance, including to the CIC for appropriate consideration of immigration status, as warranted.
The CBSA requires that all new border services officers, or BSOs, complete a “People at Risk” workshop as part of their port-of-entry training to prepare them to deal with vulnerable persons. Our migration integrity officers, or MIOs, receive extensive specialized training, including training in passport and document fraud, intelligence collection and reporting, identifying inadmissible persons and threats to national security, and detecting migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
[Translation]
Internally, the Canada Border Services Agency has been preparing for the games for over two years, analyzing its requirements and building the capacities required to facilitate the processing of people and goods and to ensure adherence to border legislation.
The CBSA's internal Olympic and Paralympic task force was formed in October 2008 to lead national and Pacific region efforts to ensure that the agency is effective in helping coordinate core infrastructure.
[English]
The Canada Border Services Agency has no information that would indicate an increase in human trafficking directly in relation to the Olympics. That being said, the CBSA will have plans and measures in place to ensure the overall readiness of the organization. To ensure the security of our borders, the CBSA, in collaboration with security partners, uses a variety of risk assessment tools and programs.
Two of the advanced systems we have in place are the advance passenger information program and the integrated primary inspection line. These tools are used to screen everyone seeking to enter Canada. In addition, there is an accreditation program in place for family and participants in the 2010 games. CBSA is an active member of the interdepartmental working group on trafficking in persons as well as a working group on TIP and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In support of the interdepartmental working group's efforts in mitigating trafficking in persons, experts--including from the CBSA--deliver TIP awareness sessions to our own CBSA officers and other law enforcement officers across Canada as part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police national human trafficking workshop, which you've heard about from my colleague. From 2008 to present, CBSA officers have participated in workshops in 17 Canadian cities.
[Translation]
Building on the “pushing out our borders” concept, the Olympic and Paralympic task force has allocated funding to the migration integrity officer program to enhance the capacity to intercept improperly documented passengers headed to Canada; to airline personnel training to screen and identify inadmissible passengers; and to intelligence gathering activities. This will allow CBSA to prevent potential victims from being exploited by traffickers in Canada.
[English]
The CBSA recently published a policies and procedures manual on TIP in February 2009. The manual is now available to all our CBSA officers and is designed to assist our officers in detecting, intercepting, and dealing with instances of human trafficking, including the proper referral protocols and necessary contact information. In addition, the CBSA enforcement branch recently established a national human trafficking network. It is made up of regional intelligence officers who will participate in monthly conference calls in order to share information and build expertise across Canada.
Finally, the CBSA will be ramping up capacity in the Pacific region to perform primary, secondary, and enforcement activities at affected ports of entry. Specific investments have been made in Vancouver marine operations, where additional resources will be made available to perform increased vessel rummages and crew-passenger verifications leading up to and during the games. We have also expanded our intelligence capacity by increasing the presence of intelligence officers in the region. We will also be relocating approximately 100 CBSA officers to impacted locations in Pacific region and additional staff to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
I have no doubt that the increased vigilance made possible by the current programs I have described will mitigate the risk of human trafficking at the Olympics.
[Translation]
TIP is a serious problem, and the CBSA remains committed to working domestically and within the global community to combat it. The CBSA will continue to work closely with international partners to stem the problem at its source. The CBSA will assist in the identification of possible TIP victims by ensuring that foreign nationals seeking entry to Canada have proper travel documents, and are entering Canada for a genuine and a lawful purpose.
[English]
Thank you.
:
Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
My name is Rick Stewart, and I am the associate assistant deputy minister of operations at Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
[Translation]
I want to thank the committee for this opportunity to provide an overview of CIC's contribution to combatting human trafficking.
I know there is considerable focus on the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and I understand the challenges they present in combatting this crime. Having said that, it is important to note that any meaningful and lasting progress in the fight against human trafficking demands constant vigilance.
To that end, CIC works with many partners on an ongoing basis to combat this crime, and we will continue to do so during the games and long after they are over.
[English]
CIC works routinely with many partners, including our colleagues at the Department of Public Safety, the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, and other law enforcement agencies, to combat human trafficking, raise awareness of this crime, and prosecute the offenders.
With respect to the protection of victims, CIC's involvement begins when a person comes forward, either on their own or referred to us by a non-governmental organization like a women's shelter or a law enforcement agency such as the RCMP. Our main role in this is to ensure victims receive appropriate consideration for immigration status, as individual circumstances warrant.
In 2006, in response to the unique needs of victims, the government introduced guidelines that would allow temporary resident permits to be issued to foreign national victims of trafficking. These guidelines allowed immigration officers to issue a short-term temporary resident permit, free of charge, of up to 120 days, to foreign national victims of human trafficking in Canada. The intent of this permit was to provide them with temporary legal immigration status in Canada.
In 2007 the government extended the length of this short-term permit to 180 days in order to allow victims to apply for a work permit, an option that had been unavailable to them under the 120-day permit.
[Translation]
When a temporary resident permit is issued to a victim in Canada, CIC officers help the victim to contact appropriate groups, including the embassy of their home country, provincial and municipal agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
This permit gives them a chance to escape from the influence of their trafficker, and the opportunity to begin to recover from their ordeal with assistance, including health-care benefits and trauma counselling, through the interim federal health program.
It also gives them time to reflect on what they want to do next, whether they choose to seek to remain in Canada or return to their home country. They may also consider participating in an investigation or prosecution if they so choose.
Longer-term temporary resident permits can also be issued for up to three years, where individual circumstances warrant. Victims may also apply for permanent residence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, through, for example, the permit holders' class, an application for humanitarian and compassionate consideration, or the refugee-determination process.
As well, Madam Chair, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act includes penalties of up to life imprisonment and fines of up to one million dollars for conviction of trafficking in persons.
[English]
Our commitment to protecting victims of human trafficking remains consistent, regardless of the manner they arrived in Canada, including in relation to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Nevertheless, given that the Olympics represent a high-profile target for both victims and offenders, we are taking a number of additional steps. We are educating temporary foreign workers and other visitors on how to avoid such exploitation, by distributing brochures and posters, available in five languages, which outline workers' basic rights in Canada and inform foreign nationals of our labour standards.
We will also boost international awareness of Canada's commitment to protecting victims by including these brochures with the Olympic workforce applications. This effort will add to the volume of material we already distribute in our overseas missions and, with our partners at CBSA, at Canadian ports of entry.
We are also engaged in outreach to the hospitality and construction industries, as well as other employers, to raise awareness of their responsibility to ensure workers are protected against exploitation. And we are contacting first responders, such as health care, social services, settlement agencies, and shelters in British Columbia, about temporary resident permits that are available for the victims of trafficking.
No country is immune to this crime. CIC's measures open the door to important services for victims of trafficking. We recognize this is a serious problem, and we are committed to working closely with our partners in a concerted effort to raise awareness and actively support victims of this crime.
Thank you.
Let me begin by thanking every one of you for coming here today. It's certainly much appreciated.
You're undoubtedly aware that this committee has been following this issue for some time. As I listened to you, and having been around this committee for a while, I'm struck at the exceptional energy and commitment you have put into trying to address this issue. I certainly thank you and commend you for that.
I have a number of questions, but a couple of them that came to me I thought you may not want to answer in public, so I will go back to my other ones.
I attended a summit in Vancouver not too long ago, as others did, organized by a collection of about 25 community groups in Vancouver, very much focused on the 2010 Olympics and human trafficking. Their focus was on protection, prosecution, and prevention of human trafficking. Do you work with these groups in Vancouver? When I listened to your presentations, there was not a lot of discussion on the protection of the victim, or services to the victim, other than a temporary resident permit. Perhaps you could speak to that a little bit, and not too long, because I don't have much time and I have other questions.
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you for appearing before the committee today.
Those of you who were here during the last Parliament may recall that during the 2006 election campaign, I discovered that a young Ethiopian woman was being kept against her will in a residence in Laval. We contacted the RCMP officers in Laval, and they did a very good job dealing with the situation. The people in question were arrested and prosecuted, but the judge found them not guilty. Indeed, it is very difficult to prove forcible confinement, as well as coercion.
When we commence proceedings in such situations, sections 279.01 to 279.04 of the Criminal Code provide us with tools, but I think there are some shortcomings. Indeed, if it is not possible to charge those who bring people into the country for trafficking purposes, either for prostitution or forced labour, the prevention that you do in the field and the fact that suspects are apprehended do not count for much.
How can we change the law so that it is more effective?
Mr. Stewart, could you tell me how many people have benefited to date from the various measures established by Immigration Canada?
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Of course, protecting the victims is the first priority, not necessarily prosecution, even for police forces. In these cases, and during operations—there recently was an operation in Vancouver—we contact the organizations that can meet the victims' needs in advance. It may be medical care, social assistance, whatever. Police forces do not specialize in these areas. So we ask the various agencies to be there for these victims.
I can tell you, drawing upon quite a broad range of experience, that often the victims get first aid, and in many cases, they go back to work for their own reasons. Often they do not realize what circles they are moving in, and they go back.
The agencies are there, primarily at the municipal and provincial levels, to take care of these victims. As for the success rate, I am not aware of any specific studies. So that is really all I can tell you.
As I was saying earlier, thanks to the program and the tools that we developed for police forces, we do know that these women, these victims of the sex trade, do not initially see themselves as victims. We have to work with them for a while before they see themselves as victims, because the coercion techniques of the traffickers are rather complex and elaborate. So, we have to work with the victims so they realize that they are victims, and in this way, we can help them move ahead, take charge of their lives and make progress, so that they do not go back to prostitution.
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I would say that it is not an easy question, and I'll do my best here.
We recognize that the law enforcement community that deals with it--CBSA deals with it, as well, from a border perspective--recognizes that these victims have had difficulties.
I'll borrow a little from my personal experience. I've done undercover work for six strong years, so I know what it is to face or deal with the ladies who are involved in this milieu. Many of them have other issues that lead them to this type of activity, and they get stuck in it. They're being controlled and are not necessarily recognizing it. Some other problems they may have may be family issues. There may be substance abuse. There are many things at play, and I can tell you that the law enforcement agencies, the police officers, are not equipped to deal with their needs afterwards. Our job is to direct them towards those organizations that can deal with them.
The challenge—CBSA would have a similar challenge—when we confront them is getting them to appreciate what they're involved in. If we're trying to get a better understanding of what's going on with the traffickers who are behind it and are controlling them, trying to get that from them is a challenge, because they often don't recognize them as such. They view the trafficker as a close friend, if not a boyfriend or something along those lines. It's breaking that link between them. Getting them to overcome and cooperate is a difficulty.
I can't speak on behalf of CBSA and how they do it at the borders.
:
Good afternoon, and thank you very much for coming here today.
The topic today is very disturbing. On the weekend, I saw the movie Taken; it is a hard-hitting movie even though I realize that the movie was made in Hollywood and that not all fathers are like Rambo. All your activities and your efforts confirm in my mind that some parts of the movie I saw are true to life. You would not take all these precautions for years just to... I imagine that you realize that you are dealing with strong organizations that are well equipped.
You have talked a great deal about international trafficking in persons, so I suppose that my feelings come mainly from that part of the situation, but I know that victims are moved around as well. I spoke to some police officers in Montreal, so I know that some victims are moved from one part of the country to another, as well. What have you done about that aspect? Have you contacted other police forces?
You mentioned four pillars, and the first one of these pillars is prevention. This is such an awful thing to say, and I almost don't dare ask this question, but do you expect that some women will go missing in upcoming months because there will be recruitment? What is being done in that regard? Young and very innocent girls easily fall into traps. What can be done to make sure that does not happen? Are you talking to students in schools? I think we must also raise the awareness of parents, because often they think that this kind of thing only happens to other people's children and do not prepare for such situations. What kind of prevention is being done, working with parents and young girls, or perhaps I should say with young children?
I want to ask all my questions, so I will have to be quick about it.
I know that police officers are being recruited from elsewhere, because there will not be enough officers on site in Vancouver. Some police officers will be sent there for a month. Is expertise in human trafficking among the various criteria used to select these police officers? If not, what training will they be given?
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to thank the people who are presenting here today.
I think this is an extremely important issue. I was on this committee when we did the study on human trafficking, and it's an issue that's more horrendous and devastating than many of us ever thought when we started into it.
I want to pay tribute to my colleague Joy Smith, who has done so much work on this file and has worked with many of you as well. My thanks to her and Anita Neville, who had the foresight to bring this motion forward so that we could get this update from you. I think it's extremely important for the Standing Committee on the Status of Women to know what's happening, and I think it's also important to have you back again, either closer to the date or after, so we can follow up on what legislative tools we may need to put in place to continue this endeavour to make our women and children safer. I think that's something we need to be looking at.
When we studied this issue, awareness was one of the things that came to the forefront. People were not aware that this was happening in this country—it happened somewhere else but not in Canada. I've heard a lot of things here this morning that have raised the level of awareness on this issue. I know in my community, as in Ms. Mathyssen's, there is a group that has made the commitment to make the public more aware of human trafficking. They're involved with the NGOs in the community and with the local police force. Cooperation among the agencies is also improving. When we did this study, there was very little cooperation among the agencies. Everybody was operating in silos, and what I'm seeing here today is very encouraging—everybody is working together.
We know that there are domestic and international issues, but one of our big issues has to do with the aboriginal community in British Columbia. Is anything being done by any of your groups to address the aboriginals?
:
Thank you, Madam Chair.
First, it seems that tools have been put in place to disseminate information, to communicate, and to focus on prevention and education.
Mr. Stewart might be able to respond to the first question. You talked about 44 cases spread out over a relatively long time frame, from 2006 to 2008, or something along those lines. You said that a certain number of people involved in those cases were not victims.
How do you communicate amongst yourselves? You mentioned five cases involving convictions and ten or so others where discussions took place; were these referred to the RCMP?
My second question concerns resources. Several of you talked about shifting resources and providing training using existing resources. By focusing on this problem, would other sectors involving the protection of Canadians suffer? How much money has been set aside for each of your organizations to deal with human trafficking in an effective manner?
:
Perhaps I can add to that.
The changes I spoke about, which we introduced in 2006 and 2007, we did through a combination of what we call ministerial instructions and the use of the discretionary provisions that are in the existing Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to make changes or put in place directions to our officers in the field for public policy reasons.
Our act has a fair degree of discretion that can be exercised in certain circumstances, and we used that discretion in recognition of some of the challenges victims were facing, to put in place measures to help address them and help to support their needs. The benefit of using the existing discretions that are in the act is that it gives us a fair degree of flexibility to be able to respond in a timely manner.
We put in place some measures in 2006. As we started to encounter victims, we discovered that the length of time of the permit we were offering to them was not sufficient to fully meet the needs they were facing. So we took the decision to extend the time duration of that permit to offer them a longer period of immigration status. The benefit of extending that time was that it also permitted them the opportunity to apply for a work permit, which hadn't been the case before.
That was done in response to the kinds of challenges we were seeing being faced by individuals. We maintain that flexibility. And as we continually monitor this, if we find that the services we're offering are still not sufficient to address the needs of those victims who are coming forward, we will certainly look at what further changes we may need to make in response.
:
Before I thank the witnesses and ask them to leave, I would just like to clarify a couple of things. I'll just put the questions to you and you can answer them quickly.
In your awareness package, are you also working with the hospitality industry, with taxi drivers, and other people who deal with transportation, who may quite often be in a better place to see what you cannot see? For instance, someone could be getting into a cab with someone who is obviously underage, or whatever. That's the first question.
The second question is about the Internet. I discovered when we were dealing with this, when I was Secretary of State for the Status of Women, that the Internet is where much of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth occurs. It's no longer on the streets, because they're too easy to recognize and be picked up. So they're either on the Internet or they're in massage parlours, which, generally speaking, are quite legal-looking and -sounding. This is a hidden issue; it's not easy to find the perpetrators.
When we dealt with this and did some research on it out of Status of Women Canada, we found that a lot of the internationally trafficked people are very afraid to come out. It doesn't matter if the local person is in jail, because their families at home are at risk, so they won't speak out because they know the cartels and traffickers are ready to deal with their families at home, and they live under that threat.
So I'd like to know what you're doing about people in the hospitality industry and taxis, and about the Internet, and about the fact that a lot of people will not speak out because of fear of retribution back home.
Let's put it this way: if you get 44 people, we know they are not the tip of the iceberg; they are the atom at the top of the iceberg. So how do you plan to deal with this, not only at the 2010 Olympics, which is what we're talking about, but in general? I think this requires a bigger and a broader policy initiative that must be brought into play.