ARNPRIOR, Ontario, April 20, 2012 —Today, Cheryl Gallant, Member of Parliament for Renfrew, Nipissing, Pembroke, on behalf of the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the fight against human trafficking at an awareness campaign launch at the Arnprior Truck Stop.
The campaign, organized by Persons Against the Crime of Trafficking in Humans Ottawa (PACT), aims to raise awareness and increase knowledge of human trafficking among members of the Canadian trucking industry and the general public.
“Our Government is committed to the global fight against human trafficking,” said MP Gallant. “We’re here today to continue to build partnerships that will help to address human trafficking. Together, we can and will help the victims of this terrible crime and make sure we punish the offenders.”
Support for this awareness initiative is the latest example of the Government of Canada’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking. Other measures have included:
- enabling immigration officers to issue short-term temporary resident permits (TRP) to trafficking victims;
- allocating $6 million per year to strengthen existing federal efforts to combat the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children by enhancing current enforcement response and public awareness activities;
- supporting the creation of mandatory jail sentences for persons convicted of child trafficking;
- launching two national awareness campaigns to better inform the public about human trafficking;
- hosting regional, national and international roundtables aimed at preventing human trafficking;
- partnering with the Government of British Columbia to launch a training curriculum aimed at enhancing the ability of first responders and service providers to identify, assist and protect victims of human trafficking in British Columbia; and,
- signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States to enable the RCMP and the US law enforcement agencies to work more effectively together to combat human trafficking (and human smuggling).
The Government of Canada recognizes that prevention and awareness are critical in combating human trafficking. As part of its overall strategy around trafficking, this Government continues to lead, support and implement numerous initiatives, domestically and abroad.
