Teh One Who Knocks
07-05-2012, 10:26 PM
By Jordan Press, Postmedia News
http://i.imgur.com/xsOMLl.jpg
OTTAWA - Canadian employers will be blocked from hiring temporary foreign workers in sex trade-related jobs under new rules announced by the Harper government Wednesday.
The changes are intended to prevent temporary foreign workers from taking employment as exotic dancers, with erotic massage parlours or escort services, or in any other field deemed ``degrading'' by the government.
While anti-human trafficking groups praised the move, the government also was criticized for going after an easy target and stoking societal stigmas about exotic dancers, rather than making policy based on empirical evidence.
``If you want to stop the exploitation, you bring the industry out of the shadows . . . This is creating more of an illicit market,'' said Chris Bruckert, a sex industry management researcher at the University of Ottawa.
``Closing the legal door is just going to make the (illegal) door more attractive.''
The association representing licensed strip clubs nationwide said Wednesday it was looking at all options, including legal action, to reverse what it sees as a policy aimed at shutting down clubs.
``This is nothing more than political brownie points for their western, ultraconservative base,'' said Tim Lambrinos, executive director of the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada.
``We`re going to be challenging this in some way.''
Effective immediately, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will issue negative Labour Market Opinions, or LMOs, on all temporary foreign worker applications submitted from businesses linked to the sex industry, or ``other businesses where the workplace presents a risk of sexual exploitation or degrading work.''
The move will prevent those businesses from hiring temporary foreign workers.
``Businesses outside of these categories may also be included if there is reason to believe that temporary foreign workers are at risk of exploitation and abuse,'' Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said in Toronto.
The rules will get even tougher on July 14, when Citizenship and Immigration Canada will no longer process new work permit applications for temporary foreign workers linked to sex-trade related employment.
``We are relieved to learn the Conservatives have barred strip clubs and other adult services from using temporary foreign workers. We must continue to set up the necessary road blocks to prevent Canada from being on the trafficking circuit,'' said Bridget Perrier of the anti-trafficking group Sextrade 101 in a statement.
Right now, about 40 per cent of strip clubs in Canada hire temporary foreign workers, according to Lambrinos, a figure based on internal polling the association conducts with its members.
The association argues it needs foreign workers because there aren`t enough Canadians willing take jobs as exotic dancers.
And strip club managers are more interested in hiring exotic dancers in Canada legally to avoid run-ins with the law, Bruckert said.
The number of exotic dancers entering Canada under the temporary foreign workers program has steadily fallen under the Harper government. Between 2006 and 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada issued 496 visas to exotic dancers, down from the 1,713 visas the Liberals issued between 2001 and 2005, according to government figures.
``The government cannot in good conscience continue to admit temporary foreign workers to work in businesses in sectors where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation,'' Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in Calgary.
HRSDC figures show almost all exotic dancer applicants received extensions between 2007 and 2011, while new work permits have been given to eight per cent of applicants over the same period.
Kenney also said that as of July 28, open work permits issued to foreign workers that normally would allow them to work for any Canadian employer will see a new condition on the permit forbidding them from working in the sex industry.
http://i.imgur.com/xsOMLl.jpg
OTTAWA - Canadian employers will be blocked from hiring temporary foreign workers in sex trade-related jobs under new rules announced by the Harper government Wednesday.
The changes are intended to prevent temporary foreign workers from taking employment as exotic dancers, with erotic massage parlours or escort services, or in any other field deemed ``degrading'' by the government.
While anti-human trafficking groups praised the move, the government also was criticized for going after an easy target and stoking societal stigmas about exotic dancers, rather than making policy based on empirical evidence.
``If you want to stop the exploitation, you bring the industry out of the shadows . . . This is creating more of an illicit market,'' said Chris Bruckert, a sex industry management researcher at the University of Ottawa.
``Closing the legal door is just going to make the (illegal) door more attractive.''
The association representing licensed strip clubs nationwide said Wednesday it was looking at all options, including legal action, to reverse what it sees as a policy aimed at shutting down clubs.
``This is nothing more than political brownie points for their western, ultraconservative base,'' said Tim Lambrinos, executive director of the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada.
``We`re going to be challenging this in some way.''
Effective immediately, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada will issue negative Labour Market Opinions, or LMOs, on all temporary foreign worker applications submitted from businesses linked to the sex industry, or ``other businesses where the workplace presents a risk of sexual exploitation or degrading work.''
The move will prevent those businesses from hiring temporary foreign workers.
``Businesses outside of these categories may also be included if there is reason to believe that temporary foreign workers are at risk of exploitation and abuse,'' Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said in Toronto.
The rules will get even tougher on July 14, when Citizenship and Immigration Canada will no longer process new work permit applications for temporary foreign workers linked to sex-trade related employment.
``We are relieved to learn the Conservatives have barred strip clubs and other adult services from using temporary foreign workers. We must continue to set up the necessary road blocks to prevent Canada from being on the trafficking circuit,'' said Bridget Perrier of the anti-trafficking group Sextrade 101 in a statement.
Right now, about 40 per cent of strip clubs in Canada hire temporary foreign workers, according to Lambrinos, a figure based on internal polling the association conducts with its members.
The association argues it needs foreign workers because there aren`t enough Canadians willing take jobs as exotic dancers.
And strip club managers are more interested in hiring exotic dancers in Canada legally to avoid run-ins with the law, Bruckert said.
The number of exotic dancers entering Canada under the temporary foreign workers program has steadily fallen under the Harper government. Between 2006 and 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada issued 496 visas to exotic dancers, down from the 1,713 visas the Liberals issued between 2001 and 2005, according to government figures.
``The government cannot in good conscience continue to admit temporary foreign workers to work in businesses in sectors where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation,'' Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in Calgary.
HRSDC figures show almost all exotic dancer applicants received extensions between 2007 and 2011, while new work permits have been given to eight per cent of applicants over the same period.
Kenney also said that as of July 28, open work permits issued to foreign workers that normally would allow them to work for any Canadian employer will see a new condition on the permit forbidding them from working in the sex industry.