Justice Committee on Feb. 15th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #87 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was victims.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Human Trafficking in Canada

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Matthew Taylor Acting Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice

Carole Sheppard Acting Director, Headquarters Counsel Group, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Trevor Bhupsingh Director General, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Commissioner Joanne Crampton Assistant Commissioner, Federal Policing Criminal Operations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Lynn Lawless Director, Intelligence, Targeting and Criminal Investigations Program Management, Canada Border Services Agency

Michael Holmes Director, Serious and Organized Crime Strategies Division, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to the committee.

Commissioner Crampton, I think one of the things we miss sometimes is that while we look up here, we need to look down here to see what's going on. Perhaps you can enlighten us.

It would seem that most of the human trafficking routes are the same as those used for contraband, tobacco, guns, drugs, and other things. When we talk about organized crime, we all have a different view of organized crime. At this level, outlaw biker gangs tend to be at the ground level of moving people and commodities.

As a result, when we talk about charges, frequently the police and the crown will lay charges where they believe they'll get convictions to disrupt it, and it may not be in human trafficking. Would I be half right on that?

4:35 p.m.

A/Commr Joanne Crampton

Yes and no, I guess. In terms of organized crime, there's certainly a significant involvement in human trafficking. Within Canada, most of our international persons trafficked are with regard to forced labour. The rest are for sexual trade across Canada. With regard to organized crime, of the known crime groups in Canada, approximately 9% are involved in human trafficking or the sex trade. In terms of overall trafficking, I would say yes, organized crime is significantly involved. That would include biker gangs and areas like that.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON

Thank you. That's all.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Thank you.

Mr. Fraser, you have a short question?

February 15th, 2018 / 4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

I do. It's just for a clarification, following up on Mr. Kmiec's point.

Ms. Crampton, in talking about the conviction rate, I think the number of cases of human trafficking mentioned was 455. There were 118 convictions. I understand that some are still going through the criminal proceedings, so those wouldn't be reflected.

Just to be clear on this, so that we understand it, does the 455 include cases in which the accused may have been pleading out on something else, or actually been convicted of something else, and maybe there were challenges in actually getting a conviction on that? Or are those cases that actually went to trial, and there was a guilty or not-guilty finding?

4:40 p.m.

A/Commr Joanne Crampton

In the 455 cases, human trafficking-specific charges were laid. Of those, 433 were domestic; 22 were international; and 118 have successfully resulted in human trafficking-specific or related convictions.

Again, of that, 296 are still before the courts.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

Okay, thanks.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Ms. Rudd, do you have a short question?

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

Kim Rudd Liberal Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

I did. Like my colleague Mr. Aldag I'm not a member of this committee; I'm a member of the natural resources committee.

You talked about the number of cases, including those that still have go through the system and have resulted in a fairly extended time frame. Someone mentioned the victims and support for them. As some of these cases are taking what seems like a very significant amount of time to get through the system, what supports are there for these victims who are having to manage their lives while they're waiting for this process to unfold, and what are we doing to help them avoid going back into that same situation?

4:40 p.m.

A/Commr Joanne Crampton

In policing we partner with victims' service, various social services, including housing, and various departments, even through the identification of sex trade workers who are at risk as well—the project that I referred to. We work with partners during that project to make sure that the supports are there for anyone who does self-identify as a victim, or as being trafficked.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather

Thank you very much. That ends the questions today. I want to thank this illustrious panel for having come before us today. Your comments were very helpful in getting us started on the study. Have a lovely rest of your Thursday.

The meeting is adjourned.