S-224Bill not proceeded with

Law to Update Criminal Code on Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Criminal Code Update

Introduced Oct 18, 2022·Last discussed Jun 19, 2024

Summary

This proposed law wanted to change the rules about human trafficking in Canada. It aimed to make the rules in the Criminal Code about this crime better. The goal was to make it easier to catch and punish people who force others into trafficking situations. This change would affect everyone in Canada. It would especially impact people who are at risk of being trafficked, like young women and girls. It would also affect law enforcement and the courts, who would have to use the new rules. This proposed law matters because human trafficking is a serious crime. It hurts vulnerable people. Making the rules stronger could help protect people and stop traffickers. However, this proposed change was never approved, so the rules remain the same.

Where This Lands on Key Issues

Where this proposed law falls on the policy spectrums that Canadians care about

Crime & Public SafetyFocus on rehabilitation and prevention

The bill aims to update the criminal code regarding human trafficking, which suggests a focus on addressing crime and public safety. While the summary doesn't specify the exact nature of the changes, the focus on updating the criminal code implies a move towards addressing the issue, potentially through increased penalties or improved enforcement, but also potentially through victim support and prevention, thus a positive alignment.

Identity & Human RightsExpand protections for marginalized groups

Human trafficking is a violation of human rights and personal identity. By addressing human trafficking, the bill implicitly supports identity and human rights, moving it towards proactive equity and inclusion measures. The degree of alignment depends on the specific provisions, but the overall direction is positive.

This bill

Bill Quality

Solid

This proposed law updates the definition of exploitation related to human trafficking. It broadens the scope of what counts as exploitation, which could help protect more people, but it also removes some existing considerations for the court.

Things to Watch For

It is not clear if the new definition will be harder or easier to prove in court.
The removal of the list of considerations for the court may create uncertainty.
The impact on actual prosecutions for human trafficking is unknown.

Progress

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