Mr. Wilks, first let me acknowledge your long service as a police officer. I think you would agree that in settings where prostitution is prevalent, most police have attempted for years to assist prostitutes in a way that avoids their criminalization or further exploitation by making them aware of programs that would assist them to exit prostitution. This in essence creates, I would suggest, a greater and more visible framework around those efforts to help prostitutes exit. It also puts in place a clearer delineation between those who are selling sexual services and those who are purchasing them. So the predatory, exploitative nature, in my view, is on full display in this bill. It provides police and the public and the courts with clarity from Parliament's perspective. From this democratic, elected institution of Parliament, we believe it was incumbent upon us to respond to what would clearly be a very confusing and dangerous situation had we not responded to the Bedford case.
I think this legislation will give police greater tools, greater ability, to enforce the law in a way that puts the emphasis on the predators, on the pimps and the johns, on those who exploit vulnerable people, on those purchasers wherever that transaction takes place. The police will then, of course—and you're much more familiar with this than most—exercise their discretion and use their investigative techniques. At the same time we hope, in relatively short order, that we will be able to have these programs up and running and available to help off-ramp those who are involved in prostitution to educational programs, to treatment facilities if there are addiction problems, to help with rehabilitation, to help individuals leave what we think is an inherently dangerous situation.
