February 22 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada. The day offers an opportunity for us to educate ourselves and others about the realities of human trafficking and to advocate for effective solutions.
This year, the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) Canada encourages you to reflect on how the United States has influenced our understanding of and response to human trafficking.
While there are some similarities, the differences between human trafficking in the United States and Canada are significant. Unlike the United States, Canada does not experience large numbers of unaccompanied children crossing its border who are vulnerable to trafficking. We do not rely on civil litigation to seek justice for individuals who are trafficked. These are just two examples; the list of distinctions is extensive.
However, over the years, Canada has often embraced American-influenced responses to human trafficking without fully assessing their relevance to the Canadian context. At present, the signs are not promising.
On January 30, the federal government announced a new Chief Advisor to Combat Human Trafficking. Amid current efforts to increase border security and implement additional law and order measures, the announcement came two days before Trump’s initial tariff deadline on February 1. Is this a coincidence?
It’s time to separate our anti-trafficking strategies from those of the United States
Human trafficking can serve as a means to advance certain political agendas. GAATW Canada urges you to stay vigilant and help ensure that resources meant for individuals who are trafficked are used to support them—not misused for other political purposes. We must strengthen the implementation of Canadian-made strategies rooted in human rights, Charter rights, and the national Indigenous reconciliation framework to deepen our understanding of the issue and develop more relevant responses.
Facts Matter
Now more than ever, Canadian solutions to Canadian issues require careful navigation of information about human trafficking. GAATW Canada is excited to develop various new initiatives to achieve this goal. For more information, please see our 2024-2026 strategic plan. To help with this work, please join us in welcoming Jumol Royes, who has taken on the newly created position of Communications Strategist at GAATW Canada.
Join us on February 22 to raise awareness about faulty information about human trafficking and to advocate for Canadian-made, evidence-based policy that meaningfully supports individuals who are trafficked. Do you know people in your network who are interested in this issue? Help us spread the word by sharing this post and inviting them to subscribe and join our community.