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Human trafficking is a billion dollar industry in our area, according to Hamilton police Chief Eric Girt. He was meeting with local politicians who want to strengthen legislation to combat the problem like Hamilton MP David Sweet who lives close to the Ancaster home where the Domotor family was keeping slaves. Men from their home country of Hungary, brought here under false promises and forced to work construction for no pay and little food. They were prosecuted in 2012 and mostly deported two years later.
Hamilton’s police chief says the more common victims of human trafficking are vulnerable Canadian girls. “It would sound like it’s very dramatic but often there’s grooming involved. There’s trust built up with the people exploiting them. Often they’ll say you owe me this for food, the rooms, you need to earn that back.” Chief Eric Girt.
Haliburton MPP Laurie Scott is trying to pass stricter legislation. She says Ontario is a hub, with 60% of the country’s human smuggling and the average victim age is 14. Girt says legislation is welcome, but not necessarily the answer.
“The key issues in my view are get women to a place of safety, and enable them to testify.” And that requires money, he says
Laurie Scott says she had all party support for her bill when it was last introduced but that the Liberals didn’t act on the legislation. The bill died when parliament was prorogued this fall but Scott introduced it again last week and she’ll be debating it again at Queen’s Park this coming Thursday.
