23rd Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Human Trafficking
Hon. Arnold Viersen, Member of Parliament for Peace River–Westlock, Canada, recounted his journey into anti-human trafficking advocacy, inspired by the tragic story of a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after sexual assault. This event shed light on the normalization of sexual exploitation and the escalating global demand for sexual services. In 2018, Viersen played a pivotal role in establishing an All-Party Parliamentary Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery in Canada, drawing inspiration from the UK system. He emphasized that partisanship can enhance legislation by incorporating diverse perspectives, ensuring, for instance, the effective enforcement of labor laws across industries such as mining, textiles, and oil and gas. Viersen underscored that human trafficking is a localized issue, often occurring within minutes or blocks of one’s residence, disproportionately affecting women (90%) and Indigenous communities (40–50%), and can generate approximately $300,000 annually per victim for traffickers. He highlighted Canada’s adherence to the Palermo Protocol, which permits authorities to identify trafficking victims without requiring self-identification, and stressed that victim rehabilitation is a protracted process, often spanning over three years to rebuild credit, social networks, and independent living. Viersen also noted Canada’s Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (2013), based on Sweden’s equity model, which targets traffickers and buyers rather than victims, and emphasized ongoing efforts to legislate supply chain reporting to identify forced labor in global commerce, in alignment with practices in France, the UK, and California. He concluded by urging other countries to adopt similar strategies for prevention, victim support, and trafficker accountability, expressing gratitude to the forum organizers for the invitation.
