Bill S-235, the proposed National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking Act, would create a new law; it does not amend another Act. It would require the federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to maintain and update the existing National Strategy, with aims that include ending human trafficking and addressing harm to people with lived experience. The bill is proposed, not in force.
The Strategy would have to include measures on survivor support, prevention, protection of groups named in the bill, criminal justice capacity, partnerships, a public website, and ongoing trauma-informed training for federal employees.
The Minister would have to make every reasonable effort to ensure the Strategy provides for Canada’s obligations under four named international agreements.
The Strategy would have to include monitoring of implementation, with clear objectives and timelines. Its Survivor Advisory Committee members and the Chief Advisor to the Minister would have to be people with lived experience of human trafficking.
The Minister would have to review the Strategy within two years after the Act starts and every five years after that, with public participation and consultations. A report would have to be tabled in Parliament and published online.
The Minister would also have to report annually to Parliament on the Strategy’s implementation and progress in combating human trafficking.
People with lived experience: The Strategy would have to include measures to support independence, community reintegration and recovery. The bill does not itself provide a service or guarantee an individual support.
Groups named as vulnerable to trafficking: The Strategy would have to include measures to protect Indigenous, Black and Asian women and girls, at-risk youths and migrants, including by promoting culturally and linguistically sensitive support, tools and training.
Federal employees: The Strategy would have to provide for ongoing, trauma-informed training and resources. The bill does not set out how that training would work.
Public and organizations: The Minister would have to invite written comments during each scheduled review and consult specified groups, including provincial and municipal government representatives, people with lived experience, and public safety and health-care organizations.
Other governments, businesses and individuals: The bill does not directly impose duties on them, change criminal offences or penalties, or create a direct right to services.
Taxpayers: The bill does not set a specific budget or authorize a stated amount of spending.
The Minister would have to maintain and update the Strategy, conduct reviews and consultations, prepare reports, and publish material online. The bill gives no cost estimate or staffing figure.
The Strategy must include measures to promote sufficient investment in support services, but the bill does not appropriate money or define what investment would be sufficient.
The bill does not say how the Strategy’s measures would be funded or delivered, or how much support services would receive.
It does not set rules for how people could access services, who would decide eligibility, or what services must be available.
“Lived experience” and “sufficient investment” are not defined in the bill.
Annual reports must address implementation and progress, but the bill does not specify measures for assessing progress.
The bill refers to an existing National Strategy, but the supplied material does not establish what it currently requires or how the proposed duties would change existing practice.
The bill appears intended to make the National Strategy an ongoing legal responsibility, rather than leaving its maintenance and updates without a statutory requirement.
Requiring regular reviews, public input and annual reports could make the Strategy’s development and progress more visible.
Requiring measures on recovery, prevention, training and criminal justice capacity could bring several parts of the response together in one Strategy.
Requiring people with lived experience in the advisory committee and chief-advisor role could bring their experience into the Strategy’s development.