Abstract
This article examines supports available to trafficked migrants in Canada, namely access to a residence permit, income support, healthcare, housing and legal assistance. We demonstrate that supports are limited and unevenly available across Canada and argue that these gaps are correlated with the nature of government anti-human trafficking discourse, which pays limited attention to the circumstances of trafficked migrants.
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Notes
In November 2022, Bill C-308 ‘An Act respecting the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking’ was introduced in parliament. It requires the federal government to have a national strategy, to address the root causes of trafficking and to protect vulnerable groups, including migrants. However, it is a private member’s bill that does not reflect government priorities. To date, it has not progressed beyond the introduction stage.
An Act to Amend the Criminal Code, SC 2010, c 3; An Act to Amend the Criminal Code, SC 2012, c 15; Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, SC 2014, c 25; An Act to amend the Criminal Code, SC 2015, c 16; An Act to Amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, SC 2019, c 25.
See, for example, debates on Bills C-310 (2011), C-268 (2010), C-452 (2013) and C-36 (2012).
In Ontario, for example, trauma counselling is mostly available to sexually exploited or sex trafficked youth. To our knowledge, the Chrysalis Anti-Human Trafficking Network was the only organization specializing in trauma counselling for survivors of human trafficking. The network had a volunteer run phone line offering free services across Canada, including to trafficked migrants. However, the network closed down permanently in December 2022.
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Baglay, S., Atak, I. & Kalaydzhieva, V. Understanding Gaps in Supports for Trafficked Migrants in Canada: A Discursive Analysis. Int. Migration & Integration (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-024-01126-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-024-01126-z