This global event was a great success, read the recap below, and stay tuned for future advocacy opportunities!
Advocates Bring Anti-Slavery Message to Canadian Parliamentarians
Constituents gather in Ottawa, Canada to advocate for the passage of current legislation and the adoption of additional national efforts to combat forced labor.
Ottawa, ON, CANADA (March 30,2010) On Thursday, March 25th, participants of the Not For Sale Campaign’s Global Advocacy Days met on Parliament Hill with Canadian lawmakers to advocate for legislation which addresses human trafficking and forced labor, both in Canada and abroad. Attendees traveled from five Canadian provinces to advocate for stricter sentences for traffickers and stronger protections for survivors of human trafficking. The date of the event, March 25th, signified the 203rd Anniversary of the passing of the Slave Trade Act by the British Parliament, resulting in the end of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
About Global Advocacy Days | Canada
Hosted by MP Joy Smith, the Parliament Hill reception drew a number of Members of Parliament and Senators from the Conservative and Liberal parties including the Hon. Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice, the Hon. Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Hon. Irwin Cotler, a former Minister of Justice who introduced Canada’s first criminal offense for human trafficking.
The reception opened with presentations by MP Joy Smith and Dr. David Batstone, an internationally renowned author and founder of the Not For Sale Campaign. Both speakers called for increased bi-partisan efforts to combat human trafficking and slavery.
Global Advocacy Days participants spent two days being educated and equipped to raise awareness and to advocate effectively in their communities and with political leaders about human trafficking. Among the leading concerns raised by anti-human trafficking advocates was the passage of MP Joy Smith’s Bill C-268, which increases the minimum penalties of convicted traffickers. The legislation is a necessary first step forward in a greater effort to combat human trafficking by the Canadian government. This Global Advocacy Days event was a part of the Not For Sale Campaign’s (NFSC) advocacy month, which launched on March 1st in Washington, DC.
During 2010, NFSC is focusing upon the intangible connections consumers have to their supply chain and how they may unintentionally be perpetuating slavery.