The crime of human trafficking is something a local Member of Parliament has fought against for four years.
Peace River-Westlock MP, Arnold Viersen talked to the Trending 55 Newsroom on the eighth annual World Day Against Human Trafficking in Person and tells us his fight against this crime started three years ago.
He mentions is started with Motion 46, which he introduced in the House of Commons in March of 2016.
“I moved the motion for there to be a study on the impacts of online sexually degrading and violent material,” says the Tory MP.
“That put me in contact with many organizations across the country that were fighting human trafficking so that is how this came on my radar.”
According to Statistics Canada, there have 1,708 reported incidents of human trafficking since 2009.
He reminds us that this crime can happen anywhere.
“Human trafficking is probably happening within 12 miles of where you live,” points out Viersen.
“It is a heinous and growing crime in Canada and it is extremely profitable for those who participate in it.”
Viersen also says he is looking forward to continuing his work as Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
“It has gone well but with Parliament being shut down, it had really limited our ability to get anything done on this file,” he says.
“We are looking forward to Parliament re-opening and reconvening the all-party group, says Viersen”
According to Stats Can, since 2009, 73 percent of human trafficking victims are under the age of 25.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
