Sexual Services and Bob Dechert

Bob Dechert: The Conservative-dominated justice committee voted Tuesday to send Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, back to the Commons for swift passage in the fall with very few changes. It is our intention to make illegal the purchase of sexual services or the communication for the purposes of purchasing sexual services of any person, anywhere, anytime, in Canada, in the light of day, in the darkness of the shadows, inside or outside, wherever you can think of in Canada, up a tree, down a rabbithole, in a beaver den, said Bob Dechert, parliamentary secretary to the justice minister. We re going to go after those purchasers and tell them this is not a right, according to The Star. Agreeing it was vague, the government agreed to drop that test and reworded it to impose a clear criminal prohibition against communicating to buy or sell sex in any area open to public view, that is or is next to a school ground, playground or daycare centre. NDP critic Fran oise Boivin scoffed that the provision is still wide open whats a playground? and said it shows the Conservatives real intent is to criminalize prostitution wherever and however it is practiced and not heed the warnings of experts in the field and The Conservative governments anti-prostitution bill is one step closer to becoming law amid complaints that the governing party overly relied on witnesses with strong evangelical ties to support and promote its abolitionist approach. Conservative MPs brought an amendment to address concerns expressed even by its most ardent supporters about a clause that would have criminalized prostitution in any public area where children could reasonably expect to be present. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.