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Sex workers take fight against hooker law to province

shapeup1

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2002
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north york
I thought they already tried this..


BY JENNY YUEN, TORONTO SUN
FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015 05:31 PM EST | UPDATED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015 09:57 PM EST


Sex worker advocates are warning Ontario Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur that Canada’s new controversial prostitution law will “force people in the sex trade in harm’s way.”

Meilleur is reviewing Bill C-36 and will file a report on the law to Premier Kathleen Wynne, who has expressed “grave concerns” about the federal Conservative government’s latest effort to deal with prostitution.

She asked for Meilleur to review the law and offer an opinion about whether it violates the constitution.

“We feel it will affect sex workers’ lives and safety,” said Jean McDonald, director of Maggie’s: Toronto Sex Worker’s Action Project, who expressed her concerns in a letter to Meilleur.

“We’ve already been getting workers asking us for advice on how they can work safely and continue to advertise under the same legislation and still work safely in an indoor space without fearing police intervention.”

The legislation came into force in December in response to the unanimous Supreme Court decision that struck down a series of laws regarding sex work.

The law criminalizes the purchase of sex and imposes penalties of up to five years in jail and minimum cash fines that increase after the first offence. The law also makes it illegal to advertise the sale of sexual services.

“Erroneously, they use the idea that they’re somehow protecting sex workers with this legislation,” McDonald said. “We have sought meetings with the A-G and with the premier and we have written this new letter and hopes she will bring us to the table.”

Brendan Crawley, a spokesman for the ministry of the attorney general, called the legal review of the hooker law “a complex process” and stressed the need to conduct a careful and thorough analysis. But it sounds like advocacy groups may not get a say.

“The ministry’s review of the new federal legislation is an internal legal analysis that is being conducted with the assistance of senior counsel in the ministry, and will not involve public consultations,” Crawley said. “As this process is ongoing, it would be premature to comment regarding the timing for the completion of the review.”

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, and some 190 lawyers across the country also do not believe that the new sex work laws will withstand constitutional scrutiny.

“(These laws) should not continue to be tested on the backs of sex workers,” said the group in a statement. “The attorney general must act in the public interest and the fair administration of justice. If the attorney general questions the validity of the sex work laws, she can make the decision to not pursue prosecutions.”

jenny.yuen@sunmedia.ca

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/02/16/sex-workers-take-fight-against-hooker-law-to-province
 

Fallsguy

New member
Dec 3, 2010
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Until the constitutionality of this law is decided on I don't think we will see it enforced in Ontario. If the AG decides its' constitutionality is questionable we may never see it enforced in Ontario.
 

MattRoxx

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Nov 13, 2011
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I thought they already tried this..
...

“Erroneously, they use the idea that they’re somehow protecting sex workers with this legislation,” McDonald said. “We have sought meetings with the A-G and with the premier and we have written this new letter and hopes she will bring us to the table.”

Brendan Crawley, a spokesman for the ministry of the attorney general, called the legal review of the hooker law “a complex process” and stressed the need to conduct a careful and thorough analysis. But it sounds like advocacy groups may not get a say.

“The ministry’s review of the new federal legislation is an internal legal analysis that is being conducted with the assistance of senior counsel in the ministry, and will not involve public consultations,” Crawley said. “As this process is ongoing, it would be premature to comment regarding the timing for the completion of the review.”
]
Crawley's response is terrible and merely demonstrates another level of government that doesn't care about what our marginalized demographic of sex workers and clients actually want or need to keep themselves safer.
1. Why the fear of having sex workers involved? It's like the complete opposite of other instances in which a group lobbied the gov't for rulings or changes eg smoking by-laws and Occupational Health & Safety regulations.
2. There is no real reason to keep everything a secret until "completion of the review". I'm sure the people working on it have to answer to someone higher up, and keep that person/minister/office apprised of their progress on a regular basis, and a timeline of what they will be doing next. And that could be made public.
 

drlove

Ph.D. in Pussyology
Oct 14, 2001
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The doctor is in
Until the constitutionality of this law is decided on I don't think we will see it enforced in Ontario. If the AG decides its' constitutionality is questionable we may never see it enforced in Ontario.
What about enforcement in other provinces?
 
Jan 24, 2012
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Hard to say but maybe they don't have the aloted time or money to conduct a full blown inquiry which would to apear fair require many different groups including those that pushed the bill. It seems they are investigating the pure legality of the bill & constitutional scrutiny.
 

MattRoxx

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Nov 13, 2011
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Hard to say but maybe they don't have the aloted time or money to conduct a full blown inquiry which would to apear fair require many different groups including those that pushed the bill. It seems they are investigating the pure legality of the bill & constitutional scrutiny.
Seems like they have all the time and money in the world...or the province.

“The ministry’s review of the new federal legislation is an internal legal analysis that is being conducted with the assistance of senior counsel in the ministry, and will not involve public consultations,” Crawley said. “As this process is ongoing, it would be premature to comment regarding the timing for the completion of the review.”
Only a gov't employee could get away with this! "I'll have the report for you when it's done and no sooner than that".
There's no real reason not to have an end date for completion of the review.
 

TeasePlease

Cockasian Brother
Aug 3, 2010
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Given the shitstorm they're in, if they had a way to spin this issue into a win, they would have announced it already. Bet they're waiting to see how the dust settles in October. If the Cons win again, they can push back on C-36 to give them a hard time. If the Libs form the government, they'll just STFU.
 

bobcat40

Member
Jan 25, 2006
570
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Given the shitstorm they're in, if they had a way to spin this issue into a win, they would have announced it already. Bet they're waiting to see how the dust settles in October. If the Cons win again, they can push back on C-36 to give them a hard time. If the Libs form the government, they'll just STFU.
Is it just me or does it just look like the "timing for the review", with no definitive timeline seem like a political ploy for Wynn to help Trudeau. I think the Ontario Liberals will release the results of this unfavorable review during the middle of the federal election campaign to screw Harper.
 
Jan 24, 2012
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is it just me or does it just look like the "timing for the review", with no definitive timeline seem like a political ploy for wynn to help trudeau. I think the ontario liberals will release the results of this unfavorable review during the middle of the federal election campaign to screw harper.
i sure hope they do !!!
 

TeasePlease

Cockasian Brother
Aug 3, 2010
7,740
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Is it just me or does it just look like the "timing for the review", with no definitive timeline seem like a political ploy for Wynn to help Trudeau. I think the Ontario Liberals will release the results of this unfavorable review during the middle of the federal election campaign to screw Harper.
It would depend on the play. There's no upside to throwing a grenade that says it's all crap (as much as we would like for that to happen). There's equal pressure for the Libs to come up with an alternative. Blowing it up will only help the NDP.

C-36 is a third rail and is fading quickly. The Right to Die is a hotter wedge topic that gets them more traction vs. the Cons.
 
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