34 clergy and faith groups from Victoria and across Canada have signed a statement of concern about the proposed federal bill that makes buying and advertising sex illegal
Faith leaders in Victoria and across the country are speaking out against a federal prostitution bill they say increases potential dangers for sex workers and is immoral, reports the Times Colonist. “This is a human rights issue,” Bruce Bryant-Scott, rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church, said. “We’re concerned about the health, safety and lives of sex workers.”
Bill C-36, titled the “protection of communities and exploited persons act” is now under consideration by Parliament. The bill was tabled after the Supreme Court struck down Canada’s existing prostitution laws seven months ago because they violated the Charter rights of sex workers.
The House of Commons justice committee is holding hearings on the bill this week. Justice minister Peter MacKay was the first witness on Monday (July 7, 2014) at the special sitting, which “will cram what would easily be a month or more of testimony into just over three days,” according to The Huffington Post. [Watch video of Minister MacKay’s comments here].
In late June, Bruce Bryant-Scott, rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church in Victoria, B.C., released a statement of concern about the legislation “signed by a consortium of 34 clergy and faith groups. Most are Anglicans from Vancouver Island; about half are women. They include hospital chaplains, university professors, nuns, a reverend mother from Toronto, First Nations and divinity students” (Times Colonist, June 27, 2014).
We are all agreed that this proposed legislation does nothing to advance the welfare of sex workers and, in fact, it increases the potential for dangerous situations. This is immoral. —Statement of concern about Bill C-36 signed by a consortium of 34 clergy and faith groups
The statement of concern [opens to PDF] lists four reasons for not supporting Bill C-36: (1) it infringes upon the human rights of sex workers to health, safety, and life; (2) it will drive sex workers and their clients further underground, putting sex workers at even greater threat of violence; (3) there was almost no consultation with sex workers or their advocates prior to the drafting of the bill, and its provisions run counter to evidence; and (4) there is no meaningful provision to deal with the underlying economic and social conditions that result in many people engaging in sex work.
“This bill continues to criminalize poverty,” the group states, “especially amongst indigenous peoples, youth coming from government care, women with disabilities, and lower income single mothers, who are all disproportionately represented among sex workers.”
We speak with Rev. Nancy Ford, from Christ Church Cathedral, who signed the letter of concern along with her colleagues.
RELATED | Times Colonist: Prostitution bill condemned as immoral by Island faith groups (June 27, 2014) | The Globe and Mail: No outside advice sought when drafting prostitution bill, MacKay says (July 7, 2014) | The Huffington Post: Bill C-36: Marathon hearings on Harper government’s prostitution bill to be held (July 7, 2014) | The Hamilton Spectator: A primer on Conservative government’s proposed new prostitution law, Bill C-36 (July 7, 2014) | The Vancouver Sun: MacKay would abolish prostitution, not protect prostitutes (July 8, 2014) |
