Human trafficking bill passes hurdle

A bill to enable Canada to prosecute human-trafficking involving Canadian citizens or permanent residents overseas received unanimous approval March 15 by the Parliamentary Justice Committee.

Justice Committee members heard witnesses from anti-human trafficking groups, including a survivor of trafficking into the sex trade, speak in favor of MP Joy Smith’s Bill C-310 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking of persons). In a rare consensus across party lines, MPs went through the Bill line by line before adopting it and sending it back to the House of Commons for third reading debate.

Smith said she was “delighted” at the outcome.

“Today modern day slavery exists in all corners of our globe and our resolve to eliminate it must grow stronger,” Smith said in a release. “Bill C-310 is a very simple bill that only has two clauses but will have a significant impact on the anti-human trafficking efforts of Canada here at home as well as abroad.”

Smith noted that it is rare for any bill to receive unanimous consent on second reading, but “nothing is more important than modern day slavery.”

Smith said she has added to the list of offences in her Bill’s Criminal Code amendment: receiving financial benefit from trafficking; and destroying or hiding documents such as passports.

Smith’s legislation includes the use or threat of violence or force or other forms of coercion, as well as “fraudulent representation or other means.” Her bill has three primary purposes, she said: to allow Canada to arrest Canadians who have left the country to evade prosecution; to enable prosecution of offenses by Canadians in countries that do not have strong anti-trafficking laws; and show that Canada will not tolerate its citizens engaging in human trafficking.