The MP for Peace River-Westlock is continuing a fight he started in late-2016.
Arnold Viersen, and other members and senators have penned a letter to federal Justice Minister, David Lametti last week in which they, “called for action to protect women and youth, particularly those who are victims of child exploitation, sex trafficking, and sexual assault, from further exploitation online.”
Viersen says one of the culprits is a company that was founded in Montreal and is now headquartered in Luxembourg, called MindGeek.
“Ever since my private members’ bill back in 2016, MindGeek has been on my radar,” says Viersen, whose bill four years ago called for “the Standing Committee on Health be instructed to examine the public health effects of the ease of access and viewing of online violent and degrading sexually explicit material on children, women and men.”
That motion received support from members of all parties.
“Ever since that was introduced, that is when I came to realize that MindGeek controls over 80 percent of online sexually explicit material; and it is housed right here in Canada,” says the Tory MP.
“I didn’t think this is something Canada should be overly proud of.”
Viersen is one of three co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking along with Liberal MP, John Mackay and Independent Senator, Julie Miville-Dechene and say in the letter to Lametti that they are “appalled” that no action has been taken against MindGeek.
The company owns various pornographic production companies.
Viersen says a bill introduced by Miville-Dechene wants to hold Mindgeek and its subsidiaries to account.
“The bill the Senator introduced wants to make sure anyone portrayed on their sites gave consent and that they are not exploiting minors,” he says.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
