Justice committee  I believe that men using women for sexual purposes is inherently violent and an absolute affront to human dignity. On your question as to whether there are provisions to provide equality between men and women in Canada, that simply is a separate issue. There can't be equality between prostitutes and johns because of the very nature of the services being rendered.

Justice committee  She looked at the law, and she recognized that the objects in the Criminal Code on prostitution were not prostitution laws; they were nuisance laws. So when the court examined that, they then weighed the benefit of having a nuisance law against the safety issues that we recognize are inherent in prostitution.

Justice committee  I think the biggest concern about the legalization of prostitution is human trafficking. In every jurisdiction where they have legalized prostitution, the explosion of human trafficking is well documented. For example, when Germany legalized prostitution, there was an influx of women from South America, and then later, when the Berlin Wall fell, all of these Third World women living in eastern bloc countries were brought into Germany.

Justice committee  That's correct.

Justice committee  I'm sorry, I didn't. I wish I had.

Justice committee  That's correct.

Justice committee  No, I have my own law firm. I don't work for them. I was retained as counsel for them.

Justice committee  Well, it's not an inconsistency. I'm appearing as an individual who has an interest in this subject matter. My retainer with the Evangelical Fellowship ended when Madam Justice McLachlin handed down her reasons in December 2013. They're not my current client; they're a former client.

Justice committee  That's correct.

Justice committee  Well, no, I didn't concede that there was a violation, but my submission was that if the learned justices of the Supreme Court believed there was a violation, I believed it should be saved as a reasonable limitation in a free and democratic society. That was my submission. Furthermore—

Justice committee  Yes: my position is not a popular one, but I think there are many lawyers that I know of personally who would sign such a letter. I'm not sure that any group has been formed with the purpose of supporting the prostitution law, but I know from personal experience, in speaking to my colleagues, that there are many who agree that this bill is the right way to go.

Justice committee  What I'm okay with is that prostitution shouldn't take place where there are children. I'm okay with that, and I think that will pass constitutional muster as well.

Justice committee  Well, I agree with you that it could be clarified. That could be an amendment that is undertaken by your committee, to make it very clear so there are no misunderstandings—

Justice committee  I haven't given any thought to that aspect of the law because I'm in favour of the entire law. However, I could certainly e-mail you and give you some suggestions. I'd be happy to do that.

Justice committee  Yes, I say it is and let me tell you why, because the old law was a nuisance law. Prostitution was not illegal, only the activities surrounding prostitution, and they were all caught in that section of the Criminal Code that deals with nuisance and disorder.