Status of Women committee  The example that I used—I believe the officer from Peel mentioned it as well, with Timea Nagy—was Timea's Cause. I'm sure there are other organizations that do similar work. What she would do is to take that victim and build that trust and bond. As a survivor herself, she's able to relate to them.

Status of Women committee  It's hard for all of us now—and a lot of us earn good wages—to survive, let alone someone who is vulnerable, who doesn't have access to those funds. It's almost as though they have nothing else to turn to, so they turn to the sex trade to try to make some more money, because it is a very lucrative business.

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  The diverting of the funds that are seized as proceeds of crime directly to victims would be a great start. It will help victims to reintegrate themselves and get back to a normal lifestyle after they've been dependent upon their traffickers for so long. With police officers it's a bit more difficult, because our work is dangerous in nature.

Status of Women committee  I think that's something that would be very beneficial. From my understanding now, when the funds are seized, they go back into the general government coffers. If they were directed toward helping victims reintegrate and basically get their lives back, it would be more beneficial.

Status of Women committee  I have. I think it was in the late nineties or early 2000s. Someone I was searching for was a fugitive from overseas and was wanted in Canada. I located him. We ended up arresting him. He was deported back to a Caribbean country. When he returned there, he called me on my personal cellphone and told me he was going to kill me.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. Good afternoon, Madam Chair and honourable members of the House of Commons. Thank you for inviting me to participate in these hearings. My name is Mario Catenaccio. Although I'm appearing here as an individual and not as a representative of any government agency or organization, my knowledge and experience in this matter have been obtained from my time with the Canada Border Services Agency.