Ford targets ‘absolutely disgusting’ human trafficking
Judges should toss human traffickers in jail and “throw away the keys,” Premier Doug Ford said Thursday in detailing his government’s $20-million anti-human trafficking strategy.
“This is disgusting what they’re doing to our young people and it shouldn’t be tolerated and the judges shouldn’t be tolerating it either,” Ford said Thursday. “Rather than give them a slap on the wrist and letting them back out, they need to be thrown in jail and throw away the keys. It’s absolutely disgusting.”
The anti-human trafficking strategy will be led by Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and Children and Women’s Issues Associate Minister Jill Dunlop, he said.
The government says it will provide $7 million a year for a Community Supports
Fund that provides “wraparound” services such as emergency housing and addiction treatment to survivors.
Another $3 million a year will be available to an anti-human trafficking Indigenous-led fund that provides similar services to survivors.
The government is also giving $2.9 million to law enforcement initiatives that target human trafficking, including training for police officers to recognize the signs in victims and perpetrators.
Ontario sees two-thirds of all human trafficking in the country and the average age of recruitment is 13 years old, Ford said.
“That’s heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking,” he said. “And I can tell you it can happen to absolutely anyone. These are our kids and it’s our responsibility to make sure we always protect them and take care of them.”
Ford’s Progressive Conservative government has been accused of reducing supports to some victims of sexual crimes.
Earlier this month, NDP MPP and Women’s Issues critic Jill Andrew said the government needed to reverse “cruel cuts” that have denied some survivors, including those of historical sexual abuse, compensation for counselling.
Rather than give them a slap on the wrist ... they need to be thrown in jail and throw away the keys.