OTTAWA — MP Joy Smith continues her crusade against modern-day slavery. On Thursday, the Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul introduced Motion M-317, a call on the Government of Canada to establish February 22 as Canada’s National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
M-317— February 14, 2012 — Mrs. Smith (Kildonan—St. Paul)
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should encourage Canadians to raise awareness of the magnitude of modern day slavery in Canada and abroad and to take steps to combat human trafficking, and should do so by designating the 22nd day of February each year as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, to coincide with the anniversary of the unanimous declaration of the House to condemn all forms of human trafficking and slavery on February 22, 2007. (Source: JoySmith.ca)
On February 22, 2007, a landmark event in the history of the movement against human traffic in Canada, the House of Commons adopted MP Smith's Private Members Motion M-153. The motion called for Canada to take steps to combat human trafficking globally.
In June 2010, MP Smith’s Bill C-268 became law and amended the Criminal Code to create Canada’s first child trafficking offence with stiff minimum sentences. A few months later, she released a proposal for a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking ("Connecting the Dots"), which contained recommendations to address protection, prevention, prosecution and partnerships.
How you can recognize February 22 National HumanTrafficking Awareness Day
- Write a letter to your local MP and to the Prime Minister of Canada (pm@pmo.gc.ca) asking for February 22 to be declared National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
- Learn about the forms of human trafficking that occur across Canada by visiting End Modern-Day Slavery and the RCMP website, reading UBC Professor Benjamin Perrin's "Invisible Chains," and watching "Enslaved and Exploited: The story of sex trafficking in Canada"
- Support MP Joy Smith’s Bill C-310 which will enhance Canada’s human trafficking legislation.
- Raise awareness in your community or workplace by holding an awareness event. Request a free human trafficking resource kit from MP Joy Smith at joy.smith.a2@parl.gc.ca.
- Get involved with an anti-human trafficking organization in your area.
- Sign up for MP Joy Smith’s monthly human trafficking e-newsletter by emailing joy.smith.a2@parl.gc.ca.
- Write a letter to your local newspaper about forms of slavery that are taking place in your community or province.
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