Opposition Parties send Letter to Liberal Government Regarding Recently Lapsed Funding for Organizations Fighting Human Trafficking

May 27, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, ON – Today, Opposition parties sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Maryam Monsef, Minister of Women and Gender Equality; Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; and David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. This letter denounces the Liberal government’s recent decision to allow funding to lapse for organizations dedicated to supporting and protecting women who are victims and survivors of human sex trafficking.

The letter was signed by Members of Parliament from every Opposition party, including every Opposition Member of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, and MPs who have organizations in their ridings that will be immediately impacted by the funding cut.

All parties agree that human trafficking and the treatment of women and girls within this system of abuse and exploitation is unimaginably horrific. The pain and suffering caused by human trafficking is alleviated in part by the heroic work of local organizations, who are dedicated to supporting and protecting women facing human trafficking.

That is why, Opposition parties are calling on the government to reverse their decision to allow the expiry of funding specifically dedicated to helping these organizations deliver programming to help victims and survivors of human trafficking. Without this funding, organizations will no longer be able to offer their specialized assistance to these women and girls, who are made even more vulnerable due to the ongoing pandemic.

The letter in its entirety can be found below.

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For more information, please contact:
 

Scott Bandy

Office of Karen Vecchio, MP

karen.vecchio@parl.gc.ca

613-990-7769