The so-called "Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act" has now been in force for just over a month. Anyone heard of charges being laid yet?
My guess is that the police in Toronto are planning, perhaps presently working on, busting an escort agency. Why in Toronto? Just look at the proliferation of agencies in Toronto, Brampton/airport area, and Richmond Hill/Markham. A local bust will have a chilling effect throughout the local geographic area--that's a lot of agencies and lots of sp's who might get cold feet (let alone a night or weekend in custody before arraignment). Also, Toronto police have lots of manpower, lots of "staying ability" (no pun intended) compared to forces outside Toronto. They can afford to run a sting/undercover operation for quite some time, and can swoop in, in force, with plenty of search warrants and arrest warrants when they think the time is right.
Why an agency? It's quite clear they are the most exposed, based on the legislation. Advertising for sex services, communicating to the public through website and contact number, enabling sex services, etc. Calls to the agencies and the can be easily recorded. Being directed to a specific address, or to an sp who provides the details, or to where an sp is waiting to take a donation, repeating this with other sp's referred by the same agency--it's simple. They are obvious targets. They are sitting ducks.
Clients caught in a swoop may be charged, but it would only be collateral. On the upside, Indy's' business may flourish as they will likely be ignored--too much effort to nail them, too diverse, no "shock and awe" in a bust of an indy.
Enforcement of anti-solicitation criminal code provisions has been in practical abeyance since 2010, when the previous criminal code provisions were ruled unconstitutional by the Superior Court of Justice. The Court of Appeal varied that decision and reinstated portions of the law, as did the Supreme Court of Canada both courts suspending their rulings for 1 year to permit drafting and implementing new legislation. My bet is that the police think 4 years without enforcement is long enough.
The only qualification to the above is that Premier Kathleen Wynne has publicly questioned the utility of the new legislation; she wonders whether it will truly protect at risk women--duh! Sounds like the only smart thing I have heard from her. She may have instructed the A G's office not to enforce, until the law is studied further, or to allow the first charges to come from another province. Who knows? Anyone with inside information in the AG's office willing to divulge?
Any other views or thoughts on this?
My guess is that the police in Toronto are planning, perhaps presently working on, busting an escort agency. Why in Toronto? Just look at the proliferation of agencies in Toronto, Brampton/airport area, and Richmond Hill/Markham. A local bust will have a chilling effect throughout the local geographic area--that's a lot of agencies and lots of sp's who might get cold feet (let alone a night or weekend in custody before arraignment). Also, Toronto police have lots of manpower, lots of "staying ability" (no pun intended) compared to forces outside Toronto. They can afford to run a sting/undercover operation for quite some time, and can swoop in, in force, with plenty of search warrants and arrest warrants when they think the time is right.
Why an agency? It's quite clear they are the most exposed, based on the legislation. Advertising for sex services, communicating to the public through website and contact number, enabling sex services, etc. Calls to the agencies and the can be easily recorded. Being directed to a specific address, or to an sp who provides the details, or to where an sp is waiting to take a donation, repeating this with other sp's referred by the same agency--it's simple. They are obvious targets. They are sitting ducks.
Clients caught in a swoop may be charged, but it would only be collateral. On the upside, Indy's' business may flourish as they will likely be ignored--too much effort to nail them, too diverse, no "shock and awe" in a bust of an indy.
Enforcement of anti-solicitation criminal code provisions has been in practical abeyance since 2010, when the previous criminal code provisions were ruled unconstitutional by the Superior Court of Justice. The Court of Appeal varied that decision and reinstated portions of the law, as did the Supreme Court of Canada both courts suspending their rulings for 1 year to permit drafting and implementing new legislation. My bet is that the police think 4 years without enforcement is long enough.
The only qualification to the above is that Premier Kathleen Wynne has publicly questioned the utility of the new legislation; she wonders whether it will truly protect at risk women--duh! Sounds like the only smart thing I have heard from her. She may have instructed the A G's office not to enforce, until the law is studied further, or to allow the first charges to come from another province. Who knows? Anyone with inside information in the AG's office willing to divulge?
Any other views or thoughts on this?