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Verbatim







Office of Joy Smith, M.P.

Kildonan-St. Paul







Bureau de Joy Smith, députée

Kildonan-St. Paul





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 2009



News Release



Opposition To Child Trafficking Bill Horrifies Former Trafficking Victim



Ottawa, ON: Wednesday September 30, 2009, MP Joy Smith’s Bill C-268, which proposes five year minimum sentences for traffickers of children, received significant support from 239 Members of Parliament during the vote at Third Reading. However, 43 MPs of the Bloc Quebecois and 3 MPs from the NDP parties voted against serious penalties for child traffickers.



As Timea Nagy, a former victim of human trafficking, sat in gallery of the House of Commons watching the vote on C-268, she felt horrified that anyone would vote against such legislation.



“I don’t understand how anyone could feel that five years in jail is too much for those who offer children for sale,” said Timea Nagy. “What if it were their child that was trafficked? Would they still have voted the same way?”



“Timea is truly and inspiration and hero to us all! Her determination to help other victims gives us continued hope that one day we will end this modern day slave trade,” said MP Joy Smith. “We must give her and other victims hope. As Members of Parliament, we are obligated to give victims confidence to come forward and escape the clutches of their traffickers.”



Timea also had the opportunity to review some of the comments made by one of the NDP members who voted against Bill C-268. During the final debate on C-268 on September 29, 2009, NDP MP Megan Leslie said,



“We have a situation here in which five people have been convicted. Let us remember that the bill deals only with people who have been convicted, and we have 800 people who are being trafficked. They are not addressed by the bill at all, not one bit. Five versus 800: I wonder why we are even wasting our time talking about this when what we really need is action on child trafficking.”



“I know the terrifying feeling of knowing that your trafficker is out there. Is there any wonder why there are only 5 convictions and these 800 other victims don’t come forward,” said Timea Nagy, who now counsels other victims of human trafficking. “What confidence can we offer them, when there is no guarantee that their trafficker will receive any jail time at all? Why would they dare come forward when the threat of further exploitation and abuse remains?”





Prior to the vote on Bill C-268, an email was distributed to all MPs with a message from Timea.



To the Members of House of Commons.



My name is Timea Eva Nagy. I am a Human Trafficked victim and survivor.

As a person who has experienced this horrific crime first hand, and as a person who is now helping other victims by giving them hope and courage to go to the police and give a statement, facing the possibility that their keepers will walk or get a light sentence is the hardest part of my job.



Looking in a victim’s eye, and telling her that the Police will do everything they can, but it is now up to the law and the court system to make sure that these guys will never hurt her again can be really scary to rely on.



Trafficking drugs and guns get tougher sentences then trafficking a person.



I truly believe that if it was your daughter, sister, you would also feel that something is wrong with that picture. You have a chance today to change that. We as Victims, and the Police officers are relying on your decision today.



Please give us hope and reasons to be brave and strong for giving a statement and testifying. Please reward the Police officers who are doing a really hard work by giving them tougher law’s to work with.



You have the power to do that!



On September 30, 2009, two hundred and thirty-nine Members of Parliament voted to take a stand against child trafficking. Two hundred and thirty-nine Members of Parliament voted to bring dignity to the victims of child trafficking. Two hundred and thirty-nine Members of Parliament voted to fight the fear of victims.



Unfortunately, forty-six Members of Parliament chose to vote against hope for victims.



Timea was by no means the only person shocked by the resistance to C-268. Canadians across Canada were appalled at the opposition to C-268. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, founder of Murdered or Missing Persons' Families' Association (MMPFA) said, “Voting against this Bill will be detrimental to Quebec and the victims of criminal acts. The Bloc’s position suggests that attacking children is not serious and not subject to severe sentences.”



Other Canadians reflected on the passage of C-268 as fundamental to affirming Canada’s position towards child trafficking.



“This is certainly a great moment where together as Canadians we stand for children, sending a clear message that we will never tolerate their trafficking,” said former Quebec youth judge, Andree Ruffo. “It took the vision and determination of Mrs. Joy Smith, Member of Parliament. She should be thanked and congratulated.”



Both Mr. Boisvenu and Ms. Ruffo spoke with MP Joy Smith at a walk to raise awareness about child trafficking and support C-268 last Sunday in Montreal. The walk drew many people from across Quebec representing a wide range of faiths, ethnic backgrounds, and communities.



“Regardless of where I go in Canada, Canadians are clear that they will not tolerate child trafficking, nor will they tolerate light sentences for the perpetrators.” said Mrs. Smith. “This message continues to be consistent across our country.”



The full list of voting results can be viewed here: http://www.joysmith.ca/index.asp?ID=76&cat_ID=1&sub_ID=468



- 30 -



For more information please contact:



Joel Oosterman

Legislative Assistant

Office of Joy Smith, MP

Phone: (613) 992-7148

Email: smithj8@parl.gc.ca

Website: http://www.joysmith.ca



Benjamin Perrin

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia

Faculty Fellow, Liu Institute for Global Issues

Phone: (778) 928-9327

E-mail: perrin@law.ubc.ca

Website: http://faculty.law.ubc.ca/perrin



Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu

President

Murdered or Missing Persons' Families' Association (MMPFA)

Phone: 819-620-3554

Email: afpad@bellnet.ca

Website: http://www.afpad.ca/en/index.shtml



Andrée Ruffo

Former Quebec Youth Judge

Phone: 450-244-5049



End Verbatim.



The Question is what does the BQ and the NDP oppose in this bill?

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