Public Safety Canada’s Webinar Series 2022: Education and Awareness of Human Trafficking

Hosted by Public Safety Canada, 2022

Introduction

Under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), Public Safety Canada committed to hosting annual stakeholder engagements to share information, and identify emerging trends and opportunities for collaboration. Due to COVID-19 public health restrictions, engagements in 2021-2022 were held virtually.

This report provides a summary of three webinars held January 2022 - March 2022 with the theme of “Education & Awareness of Human Trafficking”.

805 participants from a variety of sectors and levels of government across Canada were in attendance.

Webinar 1 : Collaborative Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking – January 25, 2022

Presenters showcased how public awareness campaigns and education are critical to strategies to combat human trafficking. Highlights include: 

Presentation 1: ‘Raising Awareness of Human Trafficking in Canada – Myths, Misperceptions and Communication Preferences Among the General Public’ by The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking – Julia Drydyk, Executive Director

Contact: executivedirector@ccteht.ca

Presentation 2: ‘How Education Can Be a Game Changer in the Fight to End Human Trafficking in Your Community’ by the Joy Smith Foundation – Joy Smith, Founder, Former Member of Parliament

Contact: info@joysmithfoundation.com

Presentation 3: ‘Research, Education and Collaboration for Sex Trafficking Prevention’ by BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention’ by Kelly Schuler, Executive Director, BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention

Contact: kelly.schuler@braveeducation.org
Facebook: BraveEducationforTraffickingPrevention
Instagram: BRAVEEducation
LinkedIn: BRAVE-Education-for-Trafficking-Prevention

Presentation 4: ‘Human Trafficking Public Awareness Campaign’ by Erin Rogers, Marketing Communications Manager, and Shawn Takacs, Marketing Communications Advisor, Public Safety Canada

Contact: erin.rogers@ps-sp.gc.ca , shawn.takacs@ps-sp.gc.ca

Discussion Highlights

Webinar 2 : Combatting Forced Labour – February 15, 2022

Presenters highlighted best practices in Canada and internationally to address instances of forced labour, and explored the specific vulnerabilities of migrant workers in Canada. Highlights include:

Presentation 1: France - Pathfinder Country for Alliance 8.7 and ‘National Acceleration Strategy to Eliminate Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery by 2030’ by Dr. Anousheh Karvar, Government Representative to the ILO and to the G7-G20 Labour & employment; and Chair of the Global Partnership against Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (Alliance 8.7)

Contact: anousheh.karvar@sg.social.gouv.fr

Presentation 2: ‘Why it Matters What We Buy - Challenging Forced Labour and Human Trafficking through Procurement’ by Dr. Olga Martin-Ortega, Professor, University of Greenwich and Dr. Alexander Trautrims, Associate Director, University of Nottingham Rights Lab

Contact: o.martin-ortega@gre.ac.uk, alexander.trautrims@nottingham.ac.uk

Presentation 3: ‘Labour Exploitation Affecting Migrant Agricultural Workers in Canada’ by Santiago Escobar, National Representative, UFCW Canada / United Food and Commercial Workers Union

Contact: santiago.escobar@ufcw.ca

Presentation 4: ‘Improving Canada’s Response to Labour Trafficking and the Assistance Provided to Victims’ by Yvon Dandurand, Criminologist, Professor Emeritus, University of the Fraser Valley; Fellow and Senior Associate of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy

Contact: Yvon.Dandurand@ufv.ca

Discussion Highlights

Webinar 3 : The Use of Technology in Law Enforcement to Combat Human Trafficking – March 23, 2022

Presenters explored the ways in which technology can be used to prevent and investigate cases of human trafficking. Highlights include:

Presentation 1: ‘Advancing Policy to Combat Technology-Facilitated Human Trafficking’ by Radu Cucos, Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Contact: Radu.Cucos@osce.org

Presentation 2: ‘AI for Combatting Human Trafficking in Canada’ by Reihaneh Rabbany, Principal Investigator, Project Infrared; Allison Cohen, Applied AI Projects Lead and Benjamin Prud'homme, Executive Director, AI for Humanity, Mila

Contact: allison.cohen@mila.quebec

Presentation 3: ‘Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS)’ by Jordan Whitesell, Detective Inspector, Ontario Provincial Police

Contact: Jordan.Whitesell@opp.ca

Discussion Highlights

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