moved for leave to introduce Bill C-269, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (victim — trafficking in persons).
Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend section 24 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by adding subsection (3).
It is important to underscore one aspect of this subsection. With this amendment, an immigration officer would no longer be able to take into account the possible participation of a victim of trafficking in persons in a criminal investigation or proceedings in respect of that criminal offence.
I will explain why I am proposing this. Currently under the legislation, when a person is a victim of human trafficking, the immigration officer takes into account whether the alleged victim will collaborate or not in a criminal investigation into the criminal offence. The problem, however, is that many of these victims are so traumatized that often they do not have the physical, psychological or mental ability to participate in an investigation or possible criminal proceedings.
I hope this bill will enjoy the support of my colleagues. I may say that those organizations, NGOs in Canada that work on this issue, are very supportive of this amendment.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)