Online Edition

Bruce Stanton MP

Details: Category: October/November 2010 - Thanksgiving Issue; Published on Friday, 01 October 2010 00:00

The House of Commons is back in session and despite a very busy summer, I am delighted to be back in Ottawa serving the constituents of Simcoe North each week. Heather and I would also like to wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends.

I would like to begin by shedding light onto the recent events involving the possible human trafficking operation that came to Canada recently aboard the MV Sun Sea. Human trafficking is a despicable crime that targets the vulnerable, especially women and children and any attempts to abuse Canada’s generosity for financial gain are utterly unacceptable.

Human smuggling, illegal migration and other abuses of Canada’s immigration system can’t and won’t be tolerated. No Canadian thinks it is acceptable for smugglers to transport boatloads of migrants and drop them off on our shores. This cannot continue. We will toughen our laws to ensure that we are able to maintain our borders and defeat human smuggling.

As we deal with these situations under Canadian law, we will look at all available options to strengthen our laws in order to address this unacceptable abuse of international law and Canadian liberties. We have already passed legislation to reform Canada’s refugee system – changes that will drastically speed up the refugee determination process and reject the many bogus refugee claims quickly.

Since we are in a minority Parliament, we must look to at least one of either the Liberal, NDP or Bloc parties to support reforms to the Canadian immigration system, something they have so far been reluctant to consider. However, I am hoping they will look closely at these issues in the weeks to come.

Our government has announced the launch of the “Blue Blindfold” campaign between the RCMP and Crime Stoppers, along with Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Member of Parliament Joy Smith. This campaign will help to give Canadians the tools and the awareness to recognize and report evidence of the despicable crime of human trafficking. While this is mostly a large City issue, our area is not immune.

We have passed tough new laws that deliver mandatory prison time to those convicted of human trafficking. But that is only the first step and it is up to all law abiding citizens to play our part in fighting this illegal activity.

With our Government, the law enforcement community, and members of the public working together, more criminals who engage in this terrible crime will be caught and fully prosecuted under our more stringent laws.

Need a Passport? Come out to one of the following Passport Clinics: Staff will be on site to answer questions and a photographer will be on hand to take your passport pictures for a cost of $20.

Tuesday October 12, 5 to 8pm
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 526, 134 William Street, Victoria Harbour

Wednesday October 13, 5 to 8pm
Orillia Square Mall, 1029 Brodie Drive, Orillia