http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1109796228184_28/?hub=WFive
Naked Truth
CTV.ca News Staff
After former Immigration Minister Judy Sgro got caught up in what was dubbed "Strippergate", the government announced that a federal visa program that allowed foreign strippers into Canada had been cancelled. But is the program really gone for good?
A W-FIVE special investigation found it's business as usual for strip club owners and the women they bring into Canada. Even more disturbing are the working conditions these women continue to face.
The "Strippergate" scandal broke last fall when Sgro and the Immigration department came under fire for its "exotic dancer program," a program that foreign strippers used to get visas into the country with almost no questions.
In December, following criticism from the Opposition, then-Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe announced the program had been cancelled.
But two months later, strip club owners are meeting to discuss plans on how to continue to bring in foreign women to strip in Canadian clubs. Volpe himself explained to W-FIVE that the new rules provide entrance visas for women who have met security and medical criteria to fill a job that a Canadian hasn't filled.
"What we are doing is we are giving an analysis of a job market -- whether you like it, or whether I like it, is immaterial -- that says there are these legal positions available," Volpe said.
In the last six years, nearly 2,300 foreign women have come to Canada to strip in Canadian clubs under a special visa. But what happens to the foreign women once they get here?
Meet Ana
Ana began stripping after finding a job offer over the Internet. The man she corresponded with offered her a good life in Canada. So, she left Mexico. Upon arriving in Toronto, she was given a visa to work as an "exotic dancer." But as soon as she began at the strip bar, things began to unravel.
"They gave me a room and I was locked there until the late evening," she told W-FIVE, wearing a disguise to hide her identity.
"Before they locked me in the room, they made me sign papers… 'They said basically that I owe already $1,000 to that club… He said 'Either you sign or I'll take you back to the airport.' I was very scared so I signed the documents. "
Ana soon found herself at a strip bar in Toronto, virtually held hostage. She had her passport, her air ticket and documentation from Mexico taken away.
Ana had been promised $1,000 a month to dance on stage. But on her first day of work, it became clear to her that she was expected to do a lot more for a lot less money.
She learned she'd earn only $2 a dance, performing lap dances: totally naked hip grinding with full contact, one on one.
"I was working almost 12 hours. I was on my feet nine, 11, 12 hours, non-stop," she says.
"I said 'I will dance for you, but I will not tolerate you touching me.' They tried to anyways. So at some points, it was more like a wrestling match than a dance… it was revolting."
Using a hidden camera, W-FIVE checked out the club that Ana was taken to. Within minutes, they were handed a catalogue of women to choose from for lap dances.
It cost $10 a lap dance. After the club and the agent take their cut, the dancer is left with only $2. For Ana to make that promised salary of $1,000 a month she'd have to perform 500 lap dances.
"These agents that bring the girls, they exploit them, it's slavery," she says.
Mary Taylor is an advocate for exotic dancers. Taylor danced for over 20 years and knows first hand what Ana was facing.
"Right now, the dancers are just going onstage because "a" they have to and "b" it's a way for them to advertise to the customers for lap dances."
Taylor says there's nothing innocent about a lap dance.
"It's actually sitting on a customer's lap, gyrating until such time as they either come to orgasm or the customer runs out of money."
Mary says many of the dancers are paid by the customer to perform oral sex and other sexual acts in the VIP rooms.
"The club owners are turning a blind eye and so is the government if they think that it's not going on…. Ask the cleaners that clean these clubs. They find used condoms on the ground in the strip clubs in VIP rooms constantly."
As for Ana, she kept dancing, fearing the staff at the strip club. But after a couple of weeks of dancing, her biggest fear was realized.
"My agent calls me and says, 'This weekend, I would like to take you out to a country club, or a golf course or something, and I would like you to meet one of my friends. He has a lot of money.' And I just knew that was prostitution."
Her only hope was escape. Ana was lucky. She had a friend just outside of Toronto and despite her fears, she took a chance and begged a Spanish-speaking customer for help. She was able to sneak out with him and he drove her straight to her friend's house.
continue
Naked Truth
CTV.ca News Staff
After former Immigration Minister Judy Sgro got caught up in what was dubbed "Strippergate", the government announced that a federal visa program that allowed foreign strippers into Canada had been cancelled. But is the program really gone for good?
A W-FIVE special investigation found it's business as usual for strip club owners and the women they bring into Canada. Even more disturbing are the working conditions these women continue to face.
The "Strippergate" scandal broke last fall when Sgro and the Immigration department came under fire for its "exotic dancer program," a program that foreign strippers used to get visas into the country with almost no questions.
In December, following criticism from the Opposition, then-Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe announced the program had been cancelled.
But two months later, strip club owners are meeting to discuss plans on how to continue to bring in foreign women to strip in Canadian clubs. Volpe himself explained to W-FIVE that the new rules provide entrance visas for women who have met security and medical criteria to fill a job that a Canadian hasn't filled.
"What we are doing is we are giving an analysis of a job market -- whether you like it, or whether I like it, is immaterial -- that says there are these legal positions available," Volpe said.
In the last six years, nearly 2,300 foreign women have come to Canada to strip in Canadian clubs under a special visa. But what happens to the foreign women once they get here?
Meet Ana
Ana began stripping after finding a job offer over the Internet. The man she corresponded with offered her a good life in Canada. So, she left Mexico. Upon arriving in Toronto, she was given a visa to work as an "exotic dancer." But as soon as she began at the strip bar, things began to unravel.
"They gave me a room and I was locked there until the late evening," she told W-FIVE, wearing a disguise to hide her identity.
"Before they locked me in the room, they made me sign papers… 'They said basically that I owe already $1,000 to that club… He said 'Either you sign or I'll take you back to the airport.' I was very scared so I signed the documents. "
Ana soon found herself at a strip bar in Toronto, virtually held hostage. She had her passport, her air ticket and documentation from Mexico taken away.
Ana had been promised $1,000 a month to dance on stage. But on her first day of work, it became clear to her that she was expected to do a lot more for a lot less money.
She learned she'd earn only $2 a dance, performing lap dances: totally naked hip grinding with full contact, one on one.
"I was working almost 12 hours. I was on my feet nine, 11, 12 hours, non-stop," she says.
"I said 'I will dance for you, but I will not tolerate you touching me.' They tried to anyways. So at some points, it was more like a wrestling match than a dance… it was revolting."
Using a hidden camera, W-FIVE checked out the club that Ana was taken to. Within minutes, they were handed a catalogue of women to choose from for lap dances.
It cost $10 a lap dance. After the club and the agent take their cut, the dancer is left with only $2. For Ana to make that promised salary of $1,000 a month she'd have to perform 500 lap dances.
"These agents that bring the girls, they exploit them, it's slavery," she says.
Mary Taylor is an advocate for exotic dancers. Taylor danced for over 20 years and knows first hand what Ana was facing.
"Right now, the dancers are just going onstage because "a" they have to and "b" it's a way for them to advertise to the customers for lap dances."
Taylor says there's nothing innocent about a lap dance.
"It's actually sitting on a customer's lap, gyrating until such time as they either come to orgasm or the customer runs out of money."
Mary says many of the dancers are paid by the customer to perform oral sex and other sexual acts in the VIP rooms.
"The club owners are turning a blind eye and so is the government if they think that it's not going on…. Ask the cleaners that clean these clubs. They find used condoms on the ground in the strip clubs in VIP rooms constantly."
As for Ana, she kept dancing, fearing the staff at the strip club. But after a couple of weeks of dancing, her biggest fear was realized.
"My agent calls me and says, 'This weekend, I would like to take you out to a country club, or a golf course or something, and I would like you to meet one of my friends. He has a lot of money.' And I just knew that was prostitution."
Her only hope was escape. Ana was lucky. She had a friend just outside of Toronto and despite her fears, she took a chance and begged a Spanish-speaking customer for help. She was able to sneak out with him and he drove her straight to her friend's house.
continue
