Status of Women committee  As we mentioned before, first of all there's an awareness of the issues generally in society--within the public authorities, the government, and the public. There is an understanding of who is coming here, why they come here, who is organizing this, and where the victims come from.

Status of Women committee  Kajsa and I have had quite a lot of interaction with the Dutch rapporteur especially, but we have to remember that their system for dealing with trafficking, especially trafficking for sexual purposes, is very different from the Swedish one. There have been some disagreements, I should point out--not between rapporteurs but between the different systems.

Status of Women committee  Is this a question for us?

Status of Women committee  I have discussed it with my colleague here, and I will answer. It's clear to us—specifically because the Swedish national rapporteur is in contact with police forces in most countries, including Germany, Holland, and in some cases Australia—that by legalizing the prostitution industry, you are creating a market for the traffickers, and the traffickers will go to where there is a market.

Status of Women committee  Kajsa and I have discussed it, and because my English may be a bit better, I will respond. The national rapporteur has been in place for nine years. That means nine annual reports. Those reports are very central to how, first of all, the issues are perceived by the public and by the public authorities.

Status of Women committee  No, the government cannot change the reports. In fact, the report is given publicly before it's given to the government. Second, she can talk to any police forces, or the prosecution services or the judiciary or the NGOs or whatever, and they have to give the information she requests.

Status of Women committee  She is independent. So the government, which I used to work for, had their own working group on trafficking that could ask questions of the rapporteur, or the rapporteur could present to the working group. But the rapporteur cannot tell us what to do. She can give recommendations.

Status of Women committee  It has three police officers and one secretary.

Status of Women committee  This is particular to Sweden. It is different from, for example, the Nepalese rapporteur. The Swedish government wants the national rapporteur to be situated at the national police for the particular reason that she would have insight into operational and intelligence work. Personally--and I think we both think this--it could have been better, in hindsight, to leave the rapporteur more independently outside the police force but with access, as she has, to confidential material and with the right to talk to whoever would be working in the office.

Status of Women committee  No, what I'm saying is that in hindsight, it probably would have been better to place the national rapporteur outside the police. Then you would be able to have research staff and you could have a more independent way of looking at things. But there are also benefits of being with the police, because she has direct access to the investigating police officers in the whole country and direct access to the investigation leaders, which are, in Sweden, the prosecutors.

Status of Women committee  I can answer that question. The rapporteur in Sweden reports to the government directly, once a year. And it's also made public. The independence here is that she can give any recommendation and do any investigations. She has access to all the material, including confidential material, and she also has the possibility of questioning all public authorities that deal with the issues, including, if they're willing, non-governmental organizations.

Status of Women committee  I think it might be better if the committee asks Kajsa questions, because you are in a hurry. She has almost ten years' experience in being the rapporteur. I will help if more English is needed.

Status of Women committee  Yes. I have two more things. As the previous speaker said, it's absolutely necessary that the national rapporteur is given full access to all documentary material, including confidential information on victims, on prosecution, victims' statements, and organized crime networks, in order to be able to make a good report.

Status of Women committee  We have decided that I will start. Because Ms. Wahlberg is the national rapporteur of Sweden, we think it's better that she talks last about how this mechanism actually works in Sweden. Is that all right?

Status of Women committee  I'm going to speak a little about how I would perceive a national rapporteur in Canada. I also have to say that I am Canadian and have worked on these issues in Canada for many years. I'm delighted to be back here to have the opportunity to address you again. In my latest appearance to the committee I proposed that a national rapporteur be appointed and adequately funded in Canada, using other countries' experiences to develop an appropriate mandate.