Bill No. 172 - Public Prosecutions Act. - Second Reading

 CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues in the Chamber, I want to applaud the member for Pictou West for bringing this here in such a forceful way and for being so clear and supportive of the victims of human trafficking in this province. The member has spoken eloquently to the ways in which our system has not caught up to the sometimes terrifying realities that Nova Scotians, especially marginalized Nova Scotians, face. Human trafficking is one of those awful and often quite hidden realities.

 I've stood to speak on the member's legislation on this before. I'll say again that I applaud the work of the YWCA and other organizations that are working in this space and creating ways to directly support victims. Of course, the need to support victims is a sad symptom of the reality that human trafficking is continuing, despite the awareness and despite the support of victims.

 Stopping this must be a multifaceted effort. Education is one of the things we've been speaking about today, and certainly education is important. As I said, I think based on the information I have and the people I have spoken to, the hidden nature of human trafficking is often how it is enabled to be so pernicious - and not just for children but for all Nova Scotians, for the general public. 

That includes law enforcement. That includes Corrections. The member asked a question today about issues in Corrections with perpetrators and offenders being held together. I think that's a real concern. It's also an issue for social services or for workers on the front line who might encounter this kind of situation.

 But there is another place I would submit that this needs to be addressed. It's one that we in the NDP caucus spend a great deal of time talking about in this Chamber. That is the alleviation of poverty. It is not an exaggeration to say that the vast majority of people involved in human trafficking are economically, politically, and/or socially marginalized and disadvantaged.

 In addition to considering this bill strongly, a few things the government could do to combat this issue would be to continue to work to address systemic racism in a serious way, to raise income assistance by a real margin, and to address the burgeoning housing crisis in Nova Scotia. All of the ways in which so many people in this province find themselves in such precarious situations lead to extreme vulnerability and terrible outcomes, like the issue of human trafficking that we are talking about today.

 The work of the Public Prosecution Service here in the area of human trafficking and in so many other places, as we've been discussing this week, is extremely important. Without a doubt, their work prosecuting human trafficking offences is vital. I have no doubt that they would agree. In fact, we've had those conversations this week. Dedicated teams, as we just heard from the member for Pictou West, have certainly allowed members to gain additional expertise, which undoubtedly leads to superior outcomes.

I would point to the part of the Act under consideration that specifically contemplates that additional education. I think we really support that because the reality, as the member spoke to, is that when prosecuting a case like this you are dealing with people who have undergone extremely traumatic situations. I have heard in the last few years - in education, in law enforcement, in the justice system generally - that we have a long way to go in terms of developing a genuinely trauma-informed approach. I think there is without a doubt not far enough that we could go to create the educational opportunities to ensure that that trauma-informed approach is taken.

 That said, I am curious - and I will engage the member on this after we rise from this Chamber - about whether the member has consulted with the Public Prosecution Service. I know this bill is in the service of victims, but I also think it's important that those on the front lines have input into this. Some of the Crown attorneys I have spoken to have suggested, as the member herself suggested, that a joint task force might best include professionals other than just Crown attorneys.

As we have been talking about, Crown attorneys are stretched. They are prosecutors, but they are upholding the integrity of the Crown. They are not prosecuting on behalf of the client. While I think it is vital that victims of crime be given clear, compassionate, trauma-informed sense of how their case is progressing, I would submit I'm not sure beyond that, that Crown attorneys are the ones best positioned to continue to support those victims through the process.

I think they do need support, but I just wonder about something like the SAIT task force, which includes RCMP and other professionals, or a joint task force that includes Victim Services - something that is sure to actually support those folks moving through the system. As I said, I'm happy to engage the member on this after. I think we definitely are aligned in terms of the importance of the issue and the spirit of the legislation.

I think, at the risk of repeating myself, we all know that we have a long way to go in terms of ensuring that our justice system can adequately address issues - particularly gendered issues of sexual exploitation, of human trafficking, of domestic abuse. We've seen a willingness from the leadership in the justice system to address these issues. I'm hoping that continues to go further. I look forward to hearing more from the member on this bill.