Status of Women committee  First, Canada would need to use the definition of the Protocol, which is very clear. In my opinion, the law we have here in Canada is inaccurate. The interpretation of the Protocol in the law is incorrect. Therefore, this law needs to be changed so that it may be compatible with

Status of Women committee  As I said, social permits would be the ideal. If you do connect it with testifying, it's important that the women are protected and secure and have access to all the services they need, both psychological and physical--money and assistance to live, and to live in a protected area

Status of Women committee  In 1996 the EU suggested, in a declaration to all the member states, that they should have national rapporteurs to monitor the situation of trafficking in the countries. Sweden and Holland decided to do that in 1998, Belgium a little bit later. I'm not suggesting this to Canada,

Status of Women committee  Yes, and they're made public through a press conference in order to give a lot of attention to what the rapporteur says. The intention is also to make governments react and do things.

Status of Women committee  If I may, I think it's important that it's not only a law and order person. It has to be based on gender equality and on an understanding of the principles behind why we're doing things. That's what the one in Sweden is, which makes a big difference in terms of the recommendation

Status of Women committee  It should be somebody who's ultimately the best at it, somebody who knows what everybody else is doing.

Status of Women committee  I think anyone who is marginalized, specifically women who live in poverty, are extremely vulnerable to pimps recruiting them—because we have to remember the other end of it; it's the pimps who go to the communities. I was just in Alberta, and we know that pimps go to the commun

Status of Women committee  In our system, women are considered as victims of a crime. This means that they are entitled to leave prostitution, to receive aid and protection, have access to another form of employment, to an education, etc. This represents an entirely different way of thinking. These women a

Status of Women committee  Before this law was adopted, solicitation existed in Sweden. Ever since the police enforced this law, street prostitution no longer exists. If demand is addressed, there is nothing we can do for these women, who need to have access to support services to leave this environment. U

Status of Women committee  Exactly, because these places don't simply offer massages: they are brothels. Escort agencies are nothing but prostitution.

Status of Women committee  Absolutely. Canada is breaching its international obligations to this effect. For example, Article 6 of the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women clearly mentions that prostitution and female trafficking must be abolished. In all European Unio

Status of Women committee  Since January 1, 1999, we have legislation that prohibits the purchase of sexual services, meaning that anyone who tries to purchase a sexual service anywhere, if it's on the Internet, in an escort service, or on the streets.... We have very little—

Status of Women committee  Where was I? Sexual service, if you want a definition, is not defined in the legislation. It gets defined in the courts, and it's a wide definition. Anyone who gives something for a sexual service--who pays for it or gives food or somewhere to stay or something like that--can pu

Status of Women committee  This was never affected by the law.

Status of Women committee  I think there needs to be a law whose first objective is not to ensure law and public order. In Canada, the law against soliciting is designed to protect law and public order. The purpose of our law is to prove that prostitution is violence and that it is unacceptable to be a cli