Thank you.
My motion reads as follows:
That the Standing House of Commons Committee on the Status of Women consider prostitution as the sexual exploitation of human beings, mainly women, that results from, and promotes, relationships of inequality and violence between men and women in our society;
That the Committee therefore recommend to the government and to the House that they take this opinion of the Committee’s into consideration in all approaches to amending the provisions of the Criminal Code regarding prostitution-related activities;
That the Committee therefore recommend to the government that it take this opinion of the Committee’s into consideration in orienting the work of Status of Women Canada and the various other Canadian government agencies;
That the adoption of this motion be reported to the House.
Madam Chair, I would just say that this motion, after very strong consultation, private and public, listens to what members and witnesses are saying about the legalizing of prostitution. Without a doubt, one thing we have said on this committee very strongly—and we have heard it from our witnesses—is that prostitution is sexual exploitation of human beings. Our whole study has been on the exploitation of human beings, and that is the thing we are working to stop.