REGINA -- The province is looking to develop new legislation that aims to prevent human trafficking.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said on Friday that the legislation could emulate Alberta’s.
“Human trafficking is an insidious crime that can be challenging for the justice system to respond to as it ruins the lives of victims and their families,” Morgan said.
The legislation in Alberta aims to make it easier for survivors to get protection orders, allow police to take quicker action, and allows survivors to sue traffickers.
It also extends the definition of sexual exploitation to persons of all ages.
Morgan said he has asked ministry officials to review the Alberta legislation.
“As we explore how this type of legislation can be passed in Saskatchewan, we will be taking the complex nature of human trafficking crime into account to ensure we can effectively address these challenges,” he said.
Officials will also seek guidance from legal professionals, police and the community when developing the legislation.
Morgan said this is part of the province’s response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report, which was released by the federal government one year ago.
He said it’s often young, Indigenous women who are targeted for human trafficking.
“A lot of people, when they think of human trafficking, they think of people that are brought from overseas,” Morgan said. “But in our nation and in our province, it’s usually people within the province or within an adjacent province.”
He said Saskatchewan averages less than one human trafficking case each year that is known to authorities, but added there may be other unknown cases.
In Alberta, the province has also established a task force on human trafficking. The group will provide recommendations to government on how to implement the plan.
A WELCOMED MOVE
The announcement is welcomed by Freedom Catalyst Regina, a group focused on working to end human trafficking. The group also educates the public and provides resources to those affected.
Member Devon Hill said following Alberta’s lead is a good start, and he’s hopeful Saskatchewan will also implement a Human Trafficking Task Force.
“It’s looking at better ways to implement the legislation and train judges, police, nurses and all those sorts of things, along with a bunch of other things to inform the public and try to eradicate human trafficking from our country as much as possible,” Hill said.
He said the province should focus on public education and awareness.
As well, he said funding would be a great next step.
He identified Ontario as another province Saskatchewan should be following. In Ontario, the provincial government is investing $307 million over the next five years to combat the issue.
