Tuesday morning (Feb. 22) a flag-raising will take place at 10 a.m. in front of city hall in St. Thomas in recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada.
The day was proclaimed as such in the House of Commons in February of last year and coincides with the 2007 declaration condemning all forms of human trafficking and slavery.
At last year’s inaugural flag-raising hosted by Victim Services Elgin, Christina Hoffer, crisis intervention specialist at Victim Services Elgin, explained trafficking exists in several not-so-obvious forms.
“Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of individuals for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced labour or organ removal.”
She continued, “People feel human trafficking doesn’t happen in Canada or our community, but it does.
“Approximately two-thirds of the police-reported human trafficking cases in Canada occur, actually, in Ontario.”
One of the advocates for the day was Elgin-Middlesex-London MP Karen Vecchio who stressed this is not just a big city problem.
She recounted the story of a situation right in our backyard.
“In Port Stanley, which has a population of 2,000 people, we know of three young girls who were attempted to be trafficked.”
“One of the reasons why it is important is that it gives us nationally a line in the sand to draw every year to look at a report card about how we are doing as communities on this issue.”
Even closer to home, on June 1 of last year, 59-year-old St. Thomas resident Eugene Andre Francois was arrested on human trafficking charges including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, traffic in persons under the age of 18, benefitting from trafficking and possession of child pornography.
A female had contacted St. Thomas Police to report she was a trafficking victim for several months as a minor in 2013.
Representing that victim is Kelly Franklin.
She is the executive director and founder of Courage for Freedom, and stresses the day is a significant step to validating the experiences of victims.
Courage for Freedom exists to educate, train and certify front-line and community service providers on proven strategies and prevention tactics that serve vulnerable victims of human trafficking and sexually exploited girls.
“We don’t need more programs and we don’t even want funding that doesn’t go directly to girls. Where agencies and organizations can cherry-pick who gets money and who doesn’t.”
Franklin adds “One of the reasons why it is important is that it gives us nationally a line in the sand to draw every year to look at a report card about how we are doing as communities on this issue.”
Struggling to hold back her emotions, she admits “It’s a trigger day for me.”
You see, Franklin has overcome abuse, trafficking, rape and prison to become one of the foremost speakers and leaders on helping girls overcome the trauma of sex trafficking.
On Tuesday, Franklin would like to see a minute of silence to honour “the 427 survivors that I’ve had the privilege to support. And right now the 27 young women I am supporting.
“Their voices are still not being heard because people are trying to own the issue.”
It’s a frustration for Franklin.
“We hold the keys to solutions. And we are tokenized in consultations. And, we are still fighting to champion what the truth of the response needs to be.”
What is needed, she says, is a movement of people.
“We don’t need more programs and we don’t even want funding that doesn’t go directly to girls.
Where agencies and organizations can cherry-pick who gets money and who doesn’t.”
And don’t be surprised if she appears before city council in a deputation in the coming months.
“I’m going to ask to speak to council. I don’t believe they have a policy or a position and we have some ideas that have worked for Peel Region, are working in Temiskaming and Manitoulin.
She is quick to add, “the mayor and council have been very supportive.”
Joe (Preston) chaired our board and helped us transition into working on this full-time.
Franklin touches briefly on Project Ontario, to be launched April 30.
Briefly, it is a social media campaign using pixel boards and the MTO signs along the province’s highways “to challenge Ontario to continue to the work to protect our children.
“And the most vulnerable and oppressed sectors that are being targeted right now in human trafficking.”
More to follow.
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AMPLIFYING THE VOICES
Earlier this month, Franklin says it was “shocking” to learn she was the recipient of the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism.
“To look at the history of June Callwood and what she has done, not only in Ontario but in Canada, it is huge.
“When I heard it on the news, it was a little shocking but I thought what a great opportunity to accept this on behalf of my community.”
Franklin stressed the award is for all of the human trafficking survivors.
“All the allies, all the partners, all the survivors that I have had the privilege and the honour to work with, for them.
“For myself as a survivor, this amplifies the voices of the over 427 young girls and that I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”
Her Courage for Freedom organization stresses courage, hope and resilience as survivors travel through the recovery process.
Sixty per cent of all of Canada’s human trafficking can be linked in some way to activities that occur along the 401 corridor across southern Ontario. In 2019, that led to the launch of #ProjectONRoute, a provincial human trafficking awareness campaign.
That initiative has expanded across the country and is now known as #ProjectMapleLeaf.
“We’ve had some incredible allies, starting with Joe Preston chairing our board years ago and then Jeff Yurek working with us to put forward the first provincial project and then Karen Vecchio for continuing along with us as well.
“We’re now operating Project Maple Leaf right across Canada, all out of Elgin.”
Franklin stressed boys and girls in Canada are not for sale, adding “they are not little commodities.”
If you suspect that someone you know is a victim of human sex trafficking, it is up to you to speak out by calling 911 or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010 if you wish to remain anonymous.
A ROUNDABOUT OPPORTUNITY
As per information provided by Coun. Steve Wookey at Monday’s (Feb. 14) council meeting, the next scheduled roundabout in the city will be constructed at the intersections of Kains and St. Catharine streets.
Coun. Wookey is a member of the public art committee and advised the city is inviting interested parties to submit a proposal for the design, construction and installation of an outdoor art structure for the centre of the roundabout.
A unique opportunity to have your work become the centre of attention as hundreds of vehicles and pedestrians circle around it every day.
The deadline for submissions is March 15 and you can find full details here.
NO FIREWORKS ON FIREWORKS SALES EXEMPTION
Good news for city residents who are tired of hearing and seeing fireworks light up the sky days after the event supposedly being celebrated.
At last Monday’s council meeting, the Kinsmen Club had requested an exemption from a city bylaw that regulates the sale and discharge of fireworks.
They were seeking permission to sell fireworks on July 2, following Canada Day.
With the holiday on a Friday this year, that likely would have seen fireworks exploding all weekend.
As Mayor Joe Preston explained, “Sales are normally under the bylaw for seven days preceding the holiday, in this case, July 1.”
“I’ve seen the sale of fireworks after July 1. We’ve all collectively received the complaints of fireworks going off at midnight the weekend later.”
Council pivoted to Fire Chief Kevin Welsh for input and clarification.
“One of the elements we’re dealing with here is that we have a bylaw that has both a restrictive and allowing elements associated with it.
“It allows certain dates for the sale and it allows certain dates for the use. Similarly, it prohibits use at any other time.
The biggest concern, continued Welsh, is “we have enough problems right now with burn bylaws that don’t allow burning but we have people burning.
“Our attempt is to try and eliminate any unnecessary use by citizens outside of the prescribed timeline by preventing them from stockpiling them or inadvertently, because they think the sale is available, therefore I can use them.
“The report is recommending not to extend the sale to avoid that extended use.”
“I don’t know how we can ramp up the enforcement with bylaw officers. By the time the complaint comes in about fireworks going off, the smoke has settled, so to speak.”
As Coun. Jeff Kohler reminded, council was challenged last year on “why we’re allowing people to continue to shoot the fireworks off after July 1 and we supported the sale of them continuing.”
Coun. Steve Peters added, “We also need to think about how we deploy bylaw officers around this period of time.
“The Kinsmen are the upfront, honest fireworks brokers and they ask for permission and there are a lot of others out there that allow them to be sold on their property.
“I’ve seen the sale of fireworks after July 1. We’ve all collectively received the complaints of fireworks going off at midnight the weekend later.”
Peters added council has to consider the impact that has on family life and animal life.
“I don’t know how we can ramp up the enforcement with bylaw officers. By the time the complaint comes in about fireworks going off, the smoke has settled, so to speak.
“But the noise and damage have been done.”
Peters suggests the fire chief come back with a report on how other municipalities are dealing with this.
In the end, council unanimously voted against the sales exemption for the Kinsmen Club.
ONE TO WATCH
If you remember, at the Feb. 7 meeting there was a lengthy discussion on amending the existing city taxi bylaw to remove all references to council setting fares for the two St. Thomas operators.
What followed was a Gray Line sightseeing tour into and around the current bylaw with Coun. Gary Clarke putting it best, “It’s not what we asked for.”
This, is about Justin Lawrence, Director of Engineering, taking a deep dive into the existing bylaw and undertaking some housekeeping beyond council’s initial request.
His updated report is back before council on Tuesday (Feb. 22) at which time members will all pile back in the cab and we’ll see where this ride leads us.
Perhaps Joni Mitchell’s 1970 hit Big Yellow Taxi would be appropriate background music.
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