By Molly Stogran and Mike Rifkin
Despite recent interest at the federal level, the idea of reforming Canada’s prostitution laws is receiving mixed reviews.
Archie Campbell, president of the Dalhousie Community Association, says he is against the prospect of red-light districts.
“There is some discussion going on, but it’s not something high on our list of priorities,” says Campbell. “But at some point we will be forced to respond to Mac Harb’s initiative.”
Liberal senator and former Ottawa Centre MP Mac Harb introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons in 2000, allowing solicitation of sex. He is still pushing the issue in the Senate.
Centretown lawyer Geraldine Castle-Trudel agrees with Harb’s efforts.
“I consider this law to be absurd as it stands,” she says.
If certain areas are established as red-light districts, legal prostitution will hopefully remain in one area, instead of spreading throughout the city. It is also believed that the safety of sex workers will improve.
The resolution put forward by the Young Liberals suggested a review of Section 213 of the Criminal Code, which outlaws the public solicitation of sex.
Prime Minister Paul Martin said at the convention that the government had no plans to bring the debate to the House of Commons any time soon.
“I think the points that are made in terms of protection of people, I think those are points that are well taken, and I think that is the kind of thing the government should look into,” Martin told reporters. “But we’re not prepared to legalize it.”
Originally, the aim of the resolution was to completely remove Section 213. It was met with large opposition.
“Eventually, it became clear that the resolution, unamended, wouldn’t have passed,” says Angus Rennie, president of the Carleton University Young Liberals. “But our ultimate goal is to remove that provision.”
Several city councillors, including Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, have spoken out against red-light districts in Ottawa.
Liberal MP Marlene Catterall, the member for Ottawa West-Nepean, says she has not decided if she would vote in favour of a bill to advocating red-light districts in the House of Commons.
“Quite honestly, I haven’t come to a conclusion on this,” says Catterall, one of five Liberal MPs in the Ottawa area. “I think it’s (an issue) that has many facets to it. I certainly want to hear other people’s views on this. I think it’s worth a discussion for sure.”
Harb says without red-light districts, the world of sex workers is dangerous. Competition between workers causes them to move around the city, sometimes into unsafe neighbourhoods.
“We are putting youth at risk,” he says. “We are making criminals out of them and we are subjecting them to all kinds of abuse. The problem isn’t going away.”
Harb says it would be hard for Parliament to not take action after the Liberal resolution was passed. He adds the federal government should simply provide a framework and leave the rest to the municipalities.
“It’s up to us to make the provisions so municipalities that choose to have them can do so,” says Harb.
“The federal government can only allow municipalities to pass legislation,” says Catterall. “In the end it comes down to what local communities want to do.”
A five-member Parliamentary sub-committee is looking at the issue.
They are requesting $200,000 of federal funding to visit European cities that have established red-light districts and legal brothels.