Some individuals working in indoor venues have been trafficked to or within Canada. Their working conditions involve coercion, deceit and in some cases virtual slavery. People from outside Canada face even greater cultural and language barriers in terms of accessing police protection, social services, education and health information.
Global economic forces play a role in trafficking. People with few economic opportunities may have little choice but to migrate for work, which may lead to being trafficked. Canada, as a wealthy nation providing social and economic opportunities, is a sought-after destination. While individuals may know that they are coming to Canada and may even know the kind of work they will engage in, the levels of control, threat, coercion and isolation that they are subjected to are human rights violations.
Although there is little accurate information on the extent of trafficking in Canada, it is known that Canada is a country of origin, transit and destination for trafficked persons. Although some persons are trafficked for the purposes of sex work, trafficking occurs for many other purposes including domestic and factory labour and marriage, and involves women and men. Trafficking also happens domestically, within provinces and across their borders. Individuals, most frequently young Aboriginal women, are moved on circuits from city to city.
In November 2005, the federal government passed Bill C-49, which criminalizes the trafficking of persons across and between borders. The issue of trafficking has only recently come to light, and government and non-government organizations are currently working together to try to determine what kind of protection needs to be offered to trafficked persons, and who determines what form that protection takes.
Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP)
This department of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General works to develop and co-ordinate BC’s response to human trafficking.
