A prostitution debate, if anyone wants to have it

Conservative MP Joy Smith explains one part of her push against human trafficking.

Smith’s plan calls for Canada to study ways to adopt a decade-old Swedish policy that considers prostitution violence against the sex trade worker and makes it illegal to buy or attempt to buy sex either on the street or in a business such as a brothel or massage parlour. The policy cut demand for the sex trade and resulted in a significant drop in human trafficking there compared to its European neighbours. Some estimated the amount of prostitution in Sweden plummeted 90 per cent.

Canada’s current laws prohibit solicitation but not the actual purchase of sex. "Personally, I like the Swedish model and we can adapt many concepts from that model concerning the demand for the sex trade," said Smith.

Wikipedia has fairly extensive primers on prostitution law in Sweden and Canada.