Harper gov’t introduces bill making it illegal to purchase sex in Canada
Posted June 4, 2014 1:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – The Harper government has tabled legislation making it legal to sell sex in Canada.
However, the bill will make activities such as pimping, running a brothel, and buying sex illegal.
Minister of Justice Peter MacKay says they’re targeting johns and pimps.
“The bill, The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, recognizes the vast majority of those who sell sexual services do not do so by choice. We view the vast majority of those involved in selling sexual services as victims,” he says.
MacKay says the bill puts heavy emphasis on fines for those who purchase sex in public. “This is sending a strong signal we want to protect our communities in places that we raise our children.”
He says other Criminal Code provisions remain in place to address societal harms related to prostitution.
The legislation is the government’s response to a Supreme Court of Canada decision in December that struck down key provisions of the country’s prostitution laws.
While the court ruled the laws were unconstitutional, it gave the government a year to replace them.
