Public Consultation on Prostitution-Related Offences in Canada

The Government of Canada is seeking the public's input on the criminal law's response to adult prostitution (i.e. the sale and purchase of sexual services from persons 18 years of age or older). This online consultation is open from February 17 to March 17, 2014. The following link: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cons/curr-cours/proscons-conspros/index.html#2014_02_17 is to the official government page where members of the public can provide input on the following questions: 1. Do you think that purchasing sexual services from an adult should be a criminal offence? Should there be any exceptions? Please explain. 2. Do you think that selling sexual services by an adult should be a criminal offence? Should there be any exceptions? Please explain. 3. If you support allowing the sale or purchase of sexual services, what limitations should there be, if any, on where or how this can be conducted? Please explain. 4. Do you think that it should be a criminal offence for a person to benefit economically from the prostitution of an adult? Should there be any exceptions? Please explain. 5. Are there any other comments you wish to offer to inform the Government's response to the Bedford decision? 6. Are you are writing on behalf of an organization? If so, please identify the organization and your title or role: While it is debatable as to how much weight this will have in the legislation that the majority conservative government will ultimately put forward, I suspect that not taking the opportunity to voice an opinion (regardless of whether one is in support of decriminalization, legalization, criminalization, or some other option) only ensures that the government has no excuse not to do whatever they feel like doing. be well, Chris Chris Atchison Department of Sociology University of Victoria PO Box 1700 STN CSC Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 email: info@sexsafetysecurity.ca web: www.sexsafetysecurity.ca

Thank you. I saw this reported on CBC a moment ago.

someone who hasn't filled out yet please forward this interesting article for them to read: wilbur said: The Swedish Law to Criminalize Clients: A Failed Experiment in Social Engineering http://rightswork.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Issue-Paper-4.pdf A MUST READ! Click to expand...

Fred Zed said: someone who hasn't filled out yet please forward this interesting article for them to read: Click to expand... Apparently they are tracking IP addresses, so it is important to use a refreshed TOR browser each time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network) and the link to it: https://www.torproject.org/

Please read the article prepared by sex workers as a guide to survey: http://maggiestoronto.ca/news?news_id=118

Speak out NOW. Respond to government survey. Respond anonymously: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cons/curr-cours/proscons-conspros/index.html#2014_02_17 Or exercise the email option Consultations.Prostitution@justice.gc.ca Please read the article prepared by sex workers as a guide to survey: http://maggiestoronto.ca/news?news_id=118

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/01/the-future-of-prostitution-laws SUGGEST TO MAIL A COPY OF THIS TO YOUR MP, ADD SOME COMMENTS OF YOUR OWN...

i hope not.....i hope that we managed to mobilize our community and that at least our perspectives have been included...i think we did....i got a letter from peter mackay informing me that "there were still many laws on the books to protect youth and punish human trafficking" which might say they are getting it....i hope so but am fearful for sure.... i challenged a church here who screened the film red light green light and talked for a long time with their parson/priest/whatever they are called....he even came by and chatted in the butcher shop one afternoon...to no avail....he was nice but could not get past the evil of prostitution...he couldn't answer things i said about compassionate care or any of my defense of the clients...but still felt that "since he has daughters" he would never support decrim.....i explained that he wouldn't be there when his daughter made choices about sex work and that he should be primarily concerned about her safety if she does choose to do it...but he could simply not go there.... anyway, everyone cross your fingers until the 27th.... love susie ps- any legislation will have to pass senate i believe before becoming law...we do have alot of friends in the senate.....am i right on this aspect of the process? its going to take years for this to all be worked out....if i am understanding the way it works properly...

susi said: ps- any legislation will have to pass senate i believe before becoming law...we do have alot of friends in the senate.....am i right on this aspect of the process? its going to take years for this to all be worked out....if i am understanding the way it works properly... Click to expand... It is true that the Senate has sent back legislation for amendments within the last year, but for the most part they rubber-stamp whatever the government provides. There is definitely hope that this process could delay legislation. If they pass it, however, it will become law very quickly. If a conviction is challenged, it could take years to come to a conclusion through the courts, so yes you are correct.