I've already gone over the available data for the committee for members' information, but I'd be very happy to speak to the bill's objectives, which are, of course, articulated in its preamble as well as in the parliamentary record, which includes the Department of Justice's technical paper on Bill C-36, because it was tabled before both committees that studied that bill.
The record indicated that the bill's ultimate objective is to reduce the demand for sexual services, with a view to discouraging entry into it, deterring participation in it and ultimately abolishing it to the greatest extent possible. The record also indicates that the Nordic model generally, and Bill C-36 in particular, is aimed at protecting the equality and dignity of women and girls, because the model views the sex trade as disproportionately and negatively impacting this group, in particular the most vulnerable among them. The Nordic model also posits that the sex trade both reflects and perpetuates structural and systemic discrimination against women and girls.
The parliamentary record also points to a range of harms that are perceived to be caused by the sex trade, and the legislation is aimed at addressing those harms. They include harm to the individuals involved, in particular the most vulnerable, who may not be sufficiently empowered to protect themselves; harm to women and girls generally by treating them as a commodity; and harm to all of society on the basis that societal inequalities negatively impact everyone.
The record also indicates that the bill was intended to avoid the harms that some perceive to be caused by decriminalization and legalization, such as a larger sex trade and higher rates of human trafficking.