Representatives from Métis Nation Western Region Two organized a human trafficking protest in Prince Albert last February. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Public Safety

Sask. Government pursuing human trafficking legislation

Aug 21, 2020 | 3:30 PM

The Government of Saskatchewan is in the process of developing legislation to combat human trafficking.

In a media release Friday, Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said he had asked ministry officials to examine a bill recently passed in Alberta and use it as the basis for a similar bill in this province.

“Human trafficking is an insidious crime that can be challenging for the justice system to respond to as it ruins the lives of victims and their families,” Morgan said in the release.

“As we explore how this type of legislation can be passed in Saskatchewan, we will be taking the complex nature of human trafficking crime into account to ensure we can effectively address these challenges.”

The Alberta bill increases legal options for victims of human trafficking. It also gives police organizations more power to respond to human trafficking in addition to the powers they have under the Criminal Code.

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Minister Don Morgan. (CJME)

Morgan also spoke briefly Friday with reporters in Saskatoon and explained the government will be consulting with communities, members of the legal profession and police organizations, as well as Indigenous stakeholders to discuss issues they believe should be included in any future legislation.

“A lot of people when they think of human trafficking they think of people that are brought from overseas, but in our nation and in our province, it is usually people from within the province or people from within an adjacent province, and often young indigenous women are victims,” he said.

When asked by reporters about the risk level of human trafficking in Saskatchewan, Morgan replied there is less than case per year in the province, but added there may be more cases that police and the government are not aware of.

“We are not using his as a tool to investigate, we are using it as a protective tool for people, but if it’s taking place in other jurisdictions at a higher rate it may that we are not aware of it here but we want to make sure we have the best possible tools,” he said.

On Jan. 28, four adults were arrested following a traffic stop near Swift Current.

Two young female passengers were found inside the two vehicles and did not have identification. Police arrested the four adults and charged them with human trafficking.

The matter remains before the courts.

— with files from 980 CJME

–

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: princealbertnow