Lock In Canada's Anti-Trafficking Strategy

Summary#

This bill would require the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to keep Canada’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking in place, update it, and report on progress each year. It sets what the strategy must include, how it must be reviewed, and how the public and other governments will be consulted.

• Maintains and updates a national anti‑trafficking strategy with aims to end trafficking, address harm, and improve support for trafficked people (National Strategy (1)).
• Requires the strategy to align with key UN treaties on trafficking and human rights (National Strategy (2)).
• Sets mandatory elements: survivor support funding, prevention campaigns, protection for at‑risk groups, justice system capacity, partnerships, a public website, federal employee training, and progress monitoring (Content (3)(a)–(h)).
• Mandates a full review within 2 years, then every 5 years, with public input and stakeholder consultations; the review must be tabled in Parliament and published (Review (1)–(5)).
• Requires an annual report to Parliament within 3 months after each fiscal year on implementation and progress (Annual report).

What it means for you#

• Households and communities

  • You may see more public awareness campaigns about signs of trafficking and how to respond, including targeted efforts in specific communities (Content (3)(b)(i)).
  • A federal website will collect research, information, and resources that the public can use (Content (3)(f)).
  • You can submit written comments during mandated public consultations as part of the strategy’s periodic reviews (Review (2)(a)).

• Trafficked individuals and survivors

  • The strategy must include measures to help you regain independence and reintegrate, with “sufficient funding,” and must consider factors that affect recovery (Content (3)(a)).
  • Services and supports should be trauma‑informed (care that avoids re‑traumatization) and culturally and linguistically sensitive, especially for Indigenous women and girls, at‑risk youth, and migrants (Content (3)(c), (3)(d)).

• Workers in the justice system and federal employees

  • The justice system is expected to build capacity to identify and prosecute trafficking using a trauma‑informed approach (Content (3)(d)).
  • Federal employees must receive ongoing, trauma‑informed training and resources (Content (3)(g)).

• Provincial, territorial, and municipal governments

  • You will be consulted during each review of the strategy (Review (2)(b)).
  • Expect more coordination with federal departments and international partners to share best practices and align efforts (Content (3)(e)).

• Service providers and community organizations

  • You may be consulted and asked to share expertise during reviews (Review (2)(b)).
  • The strategy aims to expand partnerships and promote best practices in prevention, intervention, recovery, and prosecution (Content (3)(e)).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• The bill sets duties and required elements for the National Strategy but includes no dollar amounts or direct appropriations (throughout).
• It requires the strategy to provide “sufficient funding” to empower trafficked individuals, but does not define the amount or funding source (Content (3)(a)).
• It mandates a public website, ongoing federal employee training, consultations, periodic reviews, and annual reports; potential costs are not quantified (Content (3)(f), (3)(g); Review (1)–(5); Annual report).
• No official fiscal note identified. Overall fiscal impact will depend on how the Minister implements the strategy and future budget decisions. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Creates a legal duty to maintain and update the National Strategy, reducing the risk that anti‑trafficking efforts lapse or vary across administrations (National Strategy (1)).
• Aligns federal action with international agreements on trafficking and human rights, helping Canada meet its treaty obligations (National Strategy (2)).
• Centers survivors by requiring “sufficient funding,” trauma‑informed approaches, and culturally and linguistically sensitive supports for groups at higher risk (Content (3)(a), (3)(c), (3)(d)).
• Improves prevention through public awareness campaigns and by addressing root causes such as poverty, sexism, and racism (Content (3)(b)).
• Strengthens accountability with clear objectives and timelines, annual progress reports, and 5‑year reviews with public and stakeholder input (Content (3)(h); Review (1)–(5); Annual report).
• Enhances coordination by expanding national and international partnerships and sharing best practices (Content (3)(e)).

Opponents' View#

• Unfunded or unclear costs: the bill requires “sufficient funding” and new activities (website, training, consultations) but sets no budget, leaving scope and effectiveness uncertain (Content (3)(a), (3)(f), (3)(g); Review (1)–(5)).
• Vague mandates: terms like “increase prevention efforts,” “expand partnerships,” and “address root causes” are broad, making outcomes hard to measure and evaluate (Content (3)(b), (3)(e)).
• Administrative burden: recurring reviews, public consultations, annual reporting, and maintenance of a federal website may divert staff time from direct services (Review (1)–(5); Annual report; Content (3)(f)).
• Jurisdiction overlap: prevention, social services, and policing involve provinces and municipalities; federal direction could duplicate or conflict with local programs despite required consultations (Review (2)(b)).
• Implementation risk: without defined training standards and resources, goals for a trauma‑informed justice response may not be met consistently across regions (Content (3)(d), (3)(g)).
• Data protection concerns: consolidating research and resources online could pose privacy risks if sensitive information is not handled properly; the bill does not set specific safeguards (Content (3)(f)).