I'll let my colleague address the issue of your suggested changes to section 213 of the Criminal Code. In recommendation 6 and recommendation 7, you also talk about the purchase of sexual services. From a policing point of view, I'll let Minister Nicholson comment on changing the law itself.
There would need to be some pretty broad discussion. In looking at that recommendation, I appreciated that the focus should not be on the women who are in a bawdy house, to use the criminal justice term you referred to, but the people who are actually running and profiting from the place.
Then you want to move it away from those who are being victimized, and I think that's appropriate and valid. From a policing point of view, that's where the guidelines need to be really clear, if police are to do investigations, make decisions on who is to be charged, or if they want to follow through and pass that on to the prosecutorial arm.
In terms of the intent in breaking the law, as I've looked at different documentation and seen documentaries on the problem of the selling of sexual services, it would seem to me there are two groupings of individuals. There are those who have truly been victimized; these would be people who have been forced or extorted to do this, out of fear, by some of the most malicious things imaginable, or they are drug addicts who have been forced because of their addictions. Then I've seen interviews with those who are almost indignant to be accused of being victims and who are quite happy with their work.
So I'm just saying this is where our officers would need guidance.