drlove

Has anyone seen Emily (RoseyLady5) yet?

Thank you, Nicolette for your brilliant post. You've basically summed up the way I feel about it as well. For me, the idea has always been that we should strive to be 'good' people - be kind, generous, help one another and don't hurt anyone. I believe 'God' would say "live and let live". That's where the whole notion of organized religion doesn't fly. I don't buy the view that God is vengeful or anything of the sort. God, being all knowing and all powerful etc. would be above such human foibles. He/she/it is pure love (imho). Also, in my view, religion and God are not the same thing. You hear scriptures talk about Satan, Day of Judgement, eternal damnation and so forth. Yet, the word Satan comes from the Hebrew word 'Shatan' which means the choice of evil, not the embodiment of. Therefore, I feel that organized religion is self serving and basically uses fear and control to promote its own agenda. That is why I have no time for anyone with a 'holier than thou' attitude. Finally, if there is a judgement day, I believe we judge ourselves. That is, we are shown a review of our lives, and how our actions, be they positive or negative, affect others... something like the ripple effect of throwing a rock into a still pond for instance. I believe we also get to feel the joy or pain we have caused others in our lives, in order to drive the point home so to speak. Again, these are just my own opinions.

FREDERICTON - Former cabinet minister Peter MacKay says he's keeping his eyes on the issues, but he still has plenty of time to consider whether to enter the federal Conservative leadership race. The leadership convention is now set for May 2017, and MacKay said his priority at the moment is to spend time with his young family. "There's still a lot of time," he said Thursday. "I'm keeping a close eye on things across the country and it's never far from my mind." He was the final leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada before he and Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper agreed to merge the parties in 2003. He went on to serve in several senior portfolios in the Harper government. MacKay was in New Brunswick Thursday to lend support to a friend, Fredericton MLA Brian Macdonald, who launched his bid for the leadership of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party. Recent polls have named MacKay as an early frontrunner for the federal leadership, but he said it's not his intention right now. "It is humbling of course to be considered among many of the great potential leadership candidates amongst the Conservative party. My immediate future is with my family and really pursuing a career in the private sector," he said. MacKay said a decision on becoming a leadership candidate is more about timing than other factors. "Having been through a leadership contest in the past that was nine months, I know that 16 months from this date is a very long time to be involved in any kind of contest, so it is not something I have been factoring into my future at this point," MacKay said. Geoff Martin, a political science professor at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., said he expects MacKay will enter the race and is using this "quiet time" to line up supporters. MacKay did not run in last October's federal election that saw the Liberals win a majority government and capture all 32 seats in Atlantic Canada, including MacKay's former Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova. Martin said he believes that people like MacKay and former Foreign Affairs minister John Baird got out early because they saw the imminent defeat. "One of the strategies is that you get out and refresh yourself and you're not part of the team that wears the defeat," Martin said. "Now Peter MacKay can come back along with others and try to rebrand themselves and rebrand the party," he said. Despite the Conservatives' defeat, MacKay said Thursday that he thinks the party has a positive future. "We came through the last election with 32 per cent, a hundred seats in the House of Commons. I can remember very lean times when it was Elsie Wayne and Jean Charest, so we have lots of history to draw upon, but most importantly in this rebuilding process it is reaching out and engaging Canadians on the issues that matter to them." Businessman Kevin O'Leary, a former star of CBC-TV's Dragon's Den, has also been identified in recent polls as a potential frontrunner for the leadership. MacKay said it's positive whenever anyone can generate public discussion of the party. "I think, as others including (interim leader) Rona Ambrose have said, having a broad, open, inclusive contest is always good to reinvigorate a party. We not only need a big tent, we need a big stadium, a national draw and I think you'll see that happen over time." Additional Comments: God help us!

Most certainly, and waterat makes a valid argument as well. I was simply referring to Meaghan's point that texts do leave a trail, which may be a bit unnerving for some hobbyists. Is there a way to mitigate the risk?

Thanks for the clarification! It seems that there are still quite a few SPs who only conduct business through texts. Just from my observations, I've seen a multitude of ads which state "text only". How does one get around that?

Regarding this topic, I have come across sites where there is the usual disclaimer such as : All money exchanged is for legal adult courtesan services; time and companionship, or entertainment only. Anything implied or inferred on this website is NOT to be taken as inducement for services other than this. Any sexual activities that may/may not take place are between two consenting adults. However, instead of just listing rates for time, such as 1 hour for $300 let's say, they will list rates for time under specific headings such as GFE and PFE for instance. So, doesn't that imply purchasing a service instead of just time? I'm confused and just wondering about the legality of this set up under the new legislation. If anyone has any input, it would be appreciated... thanks! :)

I remember on one occasion about 13 years ago, one of my favorite regulars in Toronto took me out for lunch prior to our appointment. It always stuck with me since it's something she didn't have to do, but chose to do so regardless... it was a very nice gesture. On another occasion, a lady who I had a one hour rendezvous with chose to stay for four, free of charge, it was a real pleasure since it was completely unexpected.

If there ever was an issue such as that, Mod would be right on top of it. Lyla does not tolerate anything of the sort, as making the site a friendly, harmonious place where the ladies feel comfortable is of paramount importance. If you did notice anything inappropriate, PM Mod and he will rectify it. You may of course also Pm other ladies and/or gents, and all will be more than happy to provide any assistance they can offer. The cardinal rule of this site has always been "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all", and as far as I'm aware, everyone tries to hold themselves to the highest standard here. That's what's kept me coming back for all these years! Thanks. :)

[I]Labour solidarity for sex workers has come a long way, but more can be done[/I] Jenn Clamen and Kara Gillies MONITOR Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, January/February 2016 [URL="https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2016/01/Monitor_Jan-Feb2016.pdf"]https://www.policyalternatives.ca/si...an-Feb2016.pdf[/URL] In 2013, IN R. v. Bedford, the Supreme Court of Canada declared three of Canadaâ??s prostitution laws unconstitutional, recognizing that criminal laws against prostitution contribute to the harms perpetrated against sex workers. The new sex workâ??related laws, introduced by the Conservative government (Bill C-36) in 2014 in response to the ruling, bear a striking resemblance to the ones that had been struck down a year prior, both in theory and application. As the bill made its way through Parliament, many people and organizations allied with sex-worker rights groups spoke up against it, including LGBT rights groups, AIDS service organizations, womenâ??s groups, agencies working to end violence against women, and also, notably, unions. In Canada, sex workers have attempted for years to garner the support of the labour movement, and more recently unions like CUPE and OPSEU have made public their support for total decriminalization. But why is sex work a union issue in particular? Sex work is rarely perceived as a form of work, but rather as a social problem that requires elimination or containment. Sometimes this entails viewing sex work as a morality issue, other times it involves constructing sex work as a negative manifestation of womenâ??s sexual exploitation or an individual pathology. While issues of economic insecurity and violence are at play in some sex workersâ?? lives, they do not define who sex workers are or what sex work is about. Instead, we believe a more accurate definition is achieved by understanding sex work the way the workers themselves experience itâ??as a means of generating income and supporting themselves, their families, their needs and their aspirations. In a word, sex work is work. Understanding sex work in these terms is easier when we have a better sense of what the work is about. Whether working in massage parlours, in strip clubs, on the street or in other locales, sex workers are providing services of both a physical and emotional nature as well as interacting with clients, colleagues, management, other third parties and the physical work environment. These interactions involve negotiating labour issues such as pay, work hours, services, professional responsibilities, and occupational health and safety. Like workers in other sectors, those in sex work worry about low wages, personal and workplace safety, the ability to take time off when they are sick, and access to state and employer benefits that enhance both their own and their familiesâ?? wellbeing. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding most forms of sex work, and the accompanying resistance to treating it as â??realâ? work, have hindered sex workersâ?? ability to access basic labour rights, including those of minimum wage, reasonable hours, enforceable contracts and secure working environments. These obstacles are compounded by the continued criminalization of many aspects of sex work, especially prostitution. The purchase of, communication for, advertising of and receiving a material benefit from sexual services are all illegal. Sex workers are directly criminalized if they communicate for work purposes in public places, as well as marginalized and subjected to violence and exploitation by criminal laws that make the actions of third parties and clients illegal. The absurdity of these prohibitions becomes clear when one contemplates their hypothetical application to other work sectors. Imagine working as a mechanic, but it being illegal for your customers to purchase your services, or for you to hire staff. Or envision being a hairstylist who is unable to advertise, or whose clients are unable to communicate what haircut they want and what price they are willing to pay. These are ludicrous scenarios, yet sex workers are currently legally required to work under such circumstances if they wish to avoid surveillance, arrest and incarceration. Needless to say, most workers are unable to meet these requirements. The criminalization of third parties creates further complications when it comes to realizing the labour rights of sex workers. Because the workerâ??third party relationship is often criminalized,many sex workers have difficulty addressing exploitation in their workplace, and seeking rights and protections under employment laws and before labour boards. There are many supporters out there of sex workersâ?? rights, but others see sex work as distinct from similar workersâ?? struggles. We challenge this belief. While workers in every sector have their own specific sets of concerns, the commonalities override the differences. This is particularly true in the case of workers who have been cast to the margins of the labour market, and particularly for migrant sex workers, who have been the prime targets for arrest, detainment and deportation, especially since the implementation of C-36. Similar to sex workers, growing numbers of working people in multiple sectors have been relegated to the rank of independent contractor, denying them the various benefits associated with employee status. Women workers, including those in sex work, make up the majority of the part-time, contingent, temporary labour force and this precarious status undermines their economic security, ability to negotiate working conditions, and organizing efforts. Migrant workers, including those in some erotic trades, are rendered vulnerable through the governmentâ??s foreign worker programs, which create a market of temporary, expendable, underpaid labourers who lack the rights of either workers or citizens. Migrants who donâ??t have formal status under these or other programs are further illegalized and left vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. In an effort to overcome these barriers, sex worker rights groups have been visible for over 40 years in Canada, educating the public about sex work as an income-generating activityâ??as work. Part of this means promoting and upholding labour rights and labour protections for a diversity of workers in sex work, and recognizing informal labour that takes place on the street and other public spaces. It also means fighting for recognition that all forms of sex work constitute legitimate labour and that sex workers are entitled to the same basic labour rights as other working people. These include the right to recognition and protection under labour, employment and contract laws; the right to work independently, collectively or for third parties; the right to enforceable work contracts (as independent contractors or employees); the right to labour organizing, whether in the form of professional associations or unionization; and, finally, the right to be free from criminal prosecution and other repressive state interference. KARA GILLIES AND JENN CLAMEN ARE SEX-WORKER RIGHTS ACTIVISTS. IN 2003, THEY FOUNDED THE NOW DEFUNCT CANADIAN GUILD FOR EROTIC LABOUR AND ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN SEX WORKERâ??LED MOVEMENTS FOR TOTAL DECRIMINALIZATION OF SEX WORK.

Perhaps, but with all due respect, the government (Parliamentarians) make the laws - enforcement of those laws is left up to the discretion of the individual police forces across the country. So far, it seems that LE has taken a rather prudent approach by focusing only on sex trafficking, underage individuals etc. as they should. However, it only takes one overzealous police chief to change things. Granted, that's a worst case scenario but it could happen. It's only been a year and a month since Bill C-36 became law, so it's still early in the game, imho. That said, I hold out hope that in short order, the Liberals will do the right thing by creating new laws which respect the SCC's decision, while at the same time taking into account the safety, ideas and concerns of all the incredible ladies who choose to do sex work. I feel a bit disheartened that it has come to this... having to deal with censors, negative effects upon our community etc. all because of the closed mindedness of the very people who were elected to (ostensibly) govern with the best interests of all Canadians at heart. E.g.(The former Harper Conservatives). I'm just glad they're gone, and maybe, just maybe we can all get back to having fun without fear of reprisal and sanctions for something that comes naturally anyway. :icon_cool: Just my two cents worth for today... Additional Comments: Just a thought... some other sites of our ilk have changed their domains to areas outside of Canada e.g. ( ending with .cc instead of .com or .ca) Is that something that may alleviate the problem? From what I understand, it creates a bit of a grey area since the information contained on the site would then technically be outside of Canadian jurisdiction...

From a political standpoint, would seem to be the most reasonable approach.

If this turns out to be the case, I'll be very disappointed. I would have hoped that the Liberals would show some actual leadership on this issue and step up to the plate. As I've said before, my biggest fear is that we're just going to get lip service from the new government, and not the good kind! :tongue:

[I]Trans rights, age of consent equalization [B]and revisions to sex-work laws[/B] are on the Liberalsâ?? queer agenda, but no timeline yet in sight[/I] Published on Tue, Dec 29, 2015 1:03 pm. Rob Salerno [URL="http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/new-justice-minister-commits-big-changes-lgbt-rights-182417"]http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news...-rights-182417[/URL] After winning the new riding of Vancouver-Granville for the federal Liberals in the October 2015 election, Jody Wilson-Raybould was appointed minister of justice and attorney general in the Trudeau cabinet. A former lawyer and regional chief of the Assembly of BC First Nations, Wilson-Raybould comes to the role with a long record in public service. Just two months in, and tasked with carrying out some of the new governmentâ??s marquee campaign promises â?? much of which entails undoing the legacy of the Harper decade â?? Wilson-Raybould has a big job ahead of her. In this condensed and edited interview, Wilson-Raybould tells Daily Xtra by phone about the governmentâ??s promises to the LGBT community, sex workersâ?? rights, HIV justice and upholding the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. [B]Daily Xtra: Your mandate letter from the prime minister restates the governmentâ??s commitment to bringing in a trans-rights bill. Will this be the same as the bill that Parliament passed earlier this year but was blocked in the Senate? If so, how do you plan to get it through the Senate this time?[/B] Wilson-Raybould: Iâ??ve had the opportunity to speak with the MP from Esquimalt, Randall Garrison [who introduced the bill in the last Parliament], about this. Our government is committed to protecting transgender persons from discrimination and we will introduce amendments to the Canada Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code. Weâ??ll work with members of Parliament on this and ensure that the amendments that are introduced are provided with opportunity to study, and we will commit to having open conversations as the bill proceeds through parliament. [B]The Conservatives still have a majority in the Senate. How do you see it passing this time?[/B] In all of the commitments that our government has made, we are going to make sure that we carry through in an open and transparent way, so that there is substantive dialogue and discussion between and among all members of Parliament, and weâ??ll ensure that all voices of Canadians are heard. I look forward to having this discussion with my colleagues from all corners of the House and presenting a thoughtful piece of legislation on this issue. [B]A long-standing grievance among LGBT activists is the differential and discriminatory ages of consent for anal and vaginal sex. Does your government have any plan to address this?[/B] As you saw in my mandate letter, weâ??re committed to doing an overarching review of the criminal justice system that includes provisions looking comprehensively at the Criminal Code. I understand that there are differential ages of consent for various reasons articulated in the Code, but I also am aware that thereâ??s a number of appellate courts that have spoken to Section 159 and rendered it unconstitutional. Weâ??re committed to ensuring that we uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that values of equality are respected. So it will be included in our overarching review of the Criminal Code. [B][COLOR=#FF0000]Since being elected, youâ??ve spoken out about your desire to reopen the Conservativesâ?? Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which re-criminalized aspects of sex work. Is there actually support in the government for addressing this? It didnâ??t come up during the election[/COLOR].[/B] [B][COLOR=#0000FF]I have committed to reviewing the prostitution laws and making sure that weâ??ve adequately addressed the concerns expressed by the Supreme Court. I have been and will continue to sit down with my officials to consider the best approach and options, and also commit to sitting down with those directly impacted, sex workers. Iâ??ve had discussions broadly out of my department with respect to our government and this is something that weâ??re going to follow through with[/COLOR].[/B] [B]When can we expect your government to move on these issues?[/B] Weâ??re in the stage that there are many issues in my mandate letter, some that have a substantive, imminent timeframe around them, like the physician-assisted dying response. Weâ??ve advanced the inquiry on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and thereâ??s a substantive amount of work weâ??re committed to doing. At this point, weâ??re looking at how we can proceed to ensure that we meet those commitments over the course of our mandate, and when we do make decisions about timelines on the issues weâ??ve talked about, we will ensure that we make those public.

The Liberals said they will look at repealing C-36 from what I've read, anyway... does anyone have an idea on what their timeline is? I know they have other things on their plate at the moment, but my fear is another year may go by without any action on this front if we don't keep the issue in the spotlight and the pressure on...

Same to you, fortunateone! I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a joyous and peaceful holiday season. :) May 2016 bring you health, happiness and prosperity!

OTTAWA CITIZEN Published on: December 17, 2015 [URL="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/sex-workers-urge-liberal-government-to-decriminalize-prostitution"]http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...e-prostitution[/URL] [I]Ottawa-area sex trade workers are counting on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do for them whatâ??s heâ??s promised to do for marijuana users: decriminalize their activities.[/I] That was one of the messages delivered Thursday evening at a small demonstration downtown marking the annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Carrying red umbrellas and holding candles, about 25 people gathered at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street to honour prostitutes whoâ??ve been subjected to violence at the hands of clients, predators, pimps and even police. â??Weâ??re here tonight to honour sex workers whoâ??ve lost their lives to violence, and also demand an end to criminalization and stigma that puts sex workers at increase risk of violence,â? said Emily Symons, chairwoman of the board of directors of Prostitutes of Ottawa-Gatineau Work, Educate and Resist (POWER). â??We do know that violence against sex workers, including sexual assault, physical assault and murders, is extremely high.â? POWER maintains that sex work is â??honourable, valuable work worthy of celebration,â? and that prostitutes are entitled to the same legal, human and labour rights as other Canadians. Its members say â??the decriminalization of sex work is imperative.â? In particular, POWER is looking to the Liberal government to scrap the previous Conservative governmentâ??s â??harmful and unconstitutional lawsâ? on prostitution, she said. Last year, the Conservative governmentâ??s Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, was enacted. While ostensibly intended to protect prostitutes, it has been criticized by organizations representing sex trade workers as further criminalizing prostitution and increasing the risk of violence against them. Symons noted that during the recent federal election campaign the Liberal party committed to reforming prostitution laws in light of the Supreme Court of Canadaâ??s decision in 2013 â?? the so-called Bedford decision â?? recognizing that the health and safety of sex workers needs to given greater priority by the government. â??They (the Liberals) made some promises â?¦ to review the prostitution laws and listen to sex workers, and so we want to hold them accountable to those promises,â? she said. â??Weâ??re hoping the new Liberal government will decriminalize sex work to make it so that sex workers can work more safely. â??Sex workers have been waiting for a very long time for a legal framework that prioritizes their safety and rights. Repealing and replacing the previous governmentâ??s harmful and unconstitutional prostitution laws must be a priority.â? Jennifer Bigelow, a former prostitute who says she was raped and nearly killed by an attacker in 2013, echoed that view, saying sheâ??s hopeful the Trudeau government will made it safer for prostitutes. â??I want more safety for women, specifically sex trade workers,â? she said, â??He (Trudeau) seems to have more of an open mind.â?

Now, if we can just get rid of C-36...

[B]New Justice Minister Says She'll Listen to Sex Workers on Prostitution Reforms[/B] [I]Jody Wilson-Raybould now faces rifts over how to protect women.[/I] By David P. Ball, Today, TheTyee.ca [URL="http://www.thetyee.ca/News/2015/11/27/Justice-Minister-on-Sex-Work/"]http://www.thetyee.ca/News/2015/11/2...r-on-Sex-Work/[/URL] Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould's pledge to review the Harper government's prostitution laws is going to bring fire from both sides in the often-bitter debate over the issue. But Wilson-Raybould has already staked out a different position than the Conservative government, promising to consult sex workers on yet-to-be determined reforms. Wilson-Raybould, a 44-year-old former Crown prosecutor in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, skirted The Tyee's questions about the divisions on the issue. "I definitely am committed to reviewing the prostitution laws, and sitting down with my officials to assess the best options, and with those they affect directly," she said in a phone interview. Central to that review, Wilson-Raybould said, will be "listening to people who are impacted." The Conservatives were criticized for stacking the witness list for Senate hearings with people who supported their prostitution legislation. Wilson-Raybould said her main objective will be "to reduce the incidence of violence against women." The new attorney general also said she would ensure any changes to the law "are consistent with the commitments that we've made, are consistent with the Charter, and certainly consistent with the values that we generally have as Canadians -- values of diversity, of inclusiveness and equality." Wilson-Raybould has her work cut out for her. On Dec. 20, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Canada's existing prostitution laws, saying they endangered sex workers by pushing them into the shadows and prevented them from protecting themselves. The law, which allowed workers to exchange sex for money but made almost every aspect of the trade illegal, violated their basic Charter rights, the court found. The ruling gave the Conservatives a year to amend the laws, and last December the government passed Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which made it legal to sell sex but not to purchase, promote or provide any services related to the work. The Canadian Bar Association warned the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs that Bill C-36 would also likely be struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada because it endangered sex workers. Before the bill was passed, advocates and opponents testified before a Senate committee, revealing deep rifts on the issue. The Native Women's Association of Canada supports the Conservative governmentâ??s approach, arguing that sex workers should not be charged but buyers, pimps and others involved in the trade should face criminal penalties. "I get so frustrated with the conversation," the organization's president Dawn Lavell Harvard said in a phone interview Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. "We want to make sure that the women being victimized and exploited are not being punished when they are in fact the victims -- but that those who are exploiting, purchasing, pimping and making money are punished.â? Harvard said it's ridiculous to claim women can freely choose sex work -- although many workers disagree. "It is still exploitation, regardless of all the ludicrous arguments about it being a choice or a legitimate 'sex trade' versus prostitution. A woman has the right to do with her own body as she chooses, absolutely, but nobody has the right to sell another person or live off the selling of another person." Decriminalizing sex workers and providing exit strategies and support services while punishing clients and others earning money in the trade is commonly referred to as the "Nordic model" because it's has been implemented in Sweden. That model was mentioned favourably by Conservatives, who touted Bill C-36 as a "Made in Canada" adaptation of the approach. But observers are divided on Scandinavia's track record. Supporters argue violence against sex workers has dropped. Opponents counter that it continues to place women in danger and drive them into the shadows. B.C. lawyer Sharon McIvor, with the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action, has taken Canada to tribunals at the United Nations and Organization for American States over violence against Aboriginal women. She rejects the argument that legalizing prostitution would make sex workers safer by not forcing them underground. It's not the location that makes johns and pimps violent, she says, and legalization doesnâ??t tackle the poverty and addictions that often lead to survival sex work. "Trying to fix the prostitution piece without looking at the bigger picture -- why Aboriginal women are so vulnerable -- won't fix the problem as long as there are women and girls out there in such a dire socioeconomic state that this is what they have to do to support themselves," she said. Naomi Sayers also testified at Senate hearings on Bill C-36. Sheâ??s a law student, former sex worker and Anishnaabe woman from from Garden River First Nation in Ontario. And she says the Conservatives' law pushed sex workers into dangerous places and makes it easier for the next Robert Pickton to prey on them. "I was the only Indigenous woman with sex work experience opposed to Bill C-36 who was invited to speak, but I'm not the only Indigenous woman who supports decriminalization," she told The Tyee. "As an Indigenous woman in law school, who has sex working experience, our lived realities need to be acknowledged." Sayers said the so-called Nordic model and its "Made in Canada" variant go against the Supreme Court decision that government can't regulate prostitution in ways that increase risks to women -- preventing them from working in safer locations or hiring bodyguards. It's still "de facto prohibition," says Sayers, and sex workers continue to be afraid to report violence to police. "The Nordic model doesn't decriminalize the women," she said, "it only criminalizes them in other ways. "They're putting women directly in harm's way â?¦ Robert Pickton preyed on the women knowing they wouldn't go to the police. Decriminalization is the only answer." [B]'We will repeal' C-36: Liberals' Fry[/B] Despite Conservative party attack ads alleging the Liberals would be "putting brothels in our communities," the party's election platform did not actually make any reference to prostitution. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's public mandate letter to Wilson-Raybould didn't mention sex work. But during the campaign, then Liberal health critic Hedy Fry -- since re-elected for Vancouver Centre -- told an all-candidates women's equality forum that her party maintained its staunch opposition to Bill C-36 and planned to scrap it. "We will repeal it, because it does not comply with the Supreme Court ruling in the Bedford decision," she said at the Sept. 24 event. "It puts women who are on the street in a very precarious position. We have to protect women first and foremost, and we can't pick and choose which women we protect. "We know that a lot of women out on the street are on the street because they're being exploited, because they're poor, because they're Indigenous, because they're racializedâ?¦ We need to have resources to help women who wish to exit to be able to exit." Hailing from Kwakwaka'wakw nation in B.C., Wilson-Raybould was elected to represent the Vancouver Granville riding on Oct. 19. She previously served as the B.C. regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations. Sayers said she wept when she heard an Indigenous woman became justice minister; for her, it offers a "chance for change." What advice would Sayers have for Canada's new attorney general in navigating the stormy and controversial prostitution debate? Wilson-Raybould should draw on her experience as a prosecutor in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, "where Indigenous sex workers have been fighting for years to have their voices heard." "I want her to remember that these women need to be heard and have their experiences validated," she said, "whether they're exploited or there by choice."

I sure hope so.... I'd like for this instance (in the case of C-36) to be more than just paying lip service to the issue at hand, and having nothing be done about it. We need to convince government to act NOW! C-36 is an affront to liberty, democracy and the intent of our judicial system. It's a bad law that must be seen for what it is - an abomination that has no place in our Canada!

Congratulations, Cato... and a big thank you for all your valuable contributions to our board / community!

Did they give a timeline as to when the repeal of C-36 will actually be implemented?

I don't know... I can't hear a thing with these damn earplugs! :p

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2678429836 This is a video of a news interview with Canada's new AG. Among the questions posed was whether the Liberals will consider repealing or amending C-36. The response was rather encouraging. She begins speaking about prostitution at about 2:45 mins. into the video, and states that she will be looking at repealing and/or amending the bill, and will hold consultations with those directly impacted by the legislation.

[INDENT] [B]â??Itâ??s time to stop the moral panicâ??: Sex worker sounds off on body politics[/B] - [U]with video[/U] By Patricia Kozicka Lifestyle and Special Projects Reporter Global News November 3, 2015 5:14 pm [URL="http://globalnews.ca/news/2313018/its-time-to-stop-the-moral-panic-sex-worker-sounds-off-on-body-politics/"]http://globalnews.ca/news/2313018/it...body-politics/[/URL] When Valerie Scott first started working she advertised in a newspaper. A seven-day ad garnered 93 hand-written replies. She tossed the ones with bad grammar in the garbage. Scott was 24. She was a sex worker. Still is, 33 years later. It may be the oldest profession but itâ??s also one of the most widely derided and, in Canada, one of the most unsafe. Scott insists she became a prostitute because she wanted to: She admired the colourful, independent â??saloon girlsâ? she saw in westerns. She wanted that to be her. But she wants to do her job without risking her life. A lot has changed in the â??many, many, many yearsâ? the 57-year-old has spent selling sex. The internet, for one thing, made advertising â?? and vetting prospective clients â?? much easier, Scott said. Much like youâ??d google a prospective partner, sex workers could do the same with new clients. Scott would demand a new clientâ??s full name and get back to them after she had a chance to look them up. [B]â??A gift to traffickersâ??[/B] That changed last year with the Conservative federal governmentâ??s Bill C-26. The bill was meant to replace Canadaâ??s previous prostitution laws, struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Then-justice minister Peter MacKay said Bill C-36 would make sex workers more safe. Sex workers say itâ??s done the opposite. The legislation criminalizes the purchase of sex, but not its sale. The bill also makes communicating for the purpose of selling sex or advertising sex services against the law. If Scott and her colleagues canâ??t advertise openly, she said, then they have to negotiate sex in bars, on the street, or through word of mouth. Clients, fearful of a sting that could land them in jail, now take greater steps to protect their anonymity. They wonâ??t give their real names and use blocked numbers. Scott has never been raped or attacked. But she has had close calls. Her current inability to vet customers gives predators the advantage, she argues. She calls the current bill â??a gift to the traffickers.â? â??If youâ??re working in a brothel or massage parlour, you know if someoneâ??s being coerced or forced,â? Scott said. â??If it was decriminalized like it was in New Zealand, we just pick up the phone and call police. â??But if itâ??s all underground and in the shadows, no oneâ??s going to say anything. Because if we do, theyâ??re going to close the place down, everyoneâ??s going to be out of a job, weâ??re all going to be arrested.â? With a new government being sworn in this week â?? one that opposed Bill C-36 when it was first passed â?? the push is on to get the law repealed. Pivot Legal has threatened to take the Liberal government to court if prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau doesnâ??t repeal C-36 â??immediately.â? Thatâ??s what Scott wants to see â?? followed by a new law altogether. Itâ??s a touchy topic: Many argue prostitution is exploitative and degrading by definition, thereâ??s no way to do it respectfully or safely so it should be eliminated, period. Many others, sex workers among them, argue itâ??s a profession like any other and that anything exploitative or degrading about it should be mitigated through more effective measures â?? poverty reduction, harm reduction, crackdowns on human trafficking and sexual violence â?? that require sex workers to be treated as people deserving police protection. â??Itâ??s time to stop the moral panic and give sex workers the same rights as all other workers,â? Scott said. [B]â??I support sex workers because I was oneâ??[/B] The debate came up unexpectedly online last week, when comedian Margaret Cho posed a question to her 400,000-odd Twitter followers: What do sex workers want? It was the first time Cho spoke publicly about her past as a prostitute. â??I support sex workers because I was one and I know that itâ??s a job thatâ??s needlessly shunned by society when frankly we should be worshipped,â? the 46-year-old wrote. The worldâ??s oldest profession is not only â??honest work,â? Cho argued, but â??holy work.â? Margaret Cho â?@margaretcho I want protection for sex workers. Enough of us have died because we must operate in the shadows. It's wrong. 12:28 PM - 30 Oct 2015 [URL="https://twitter.com/margaretcho/status/660176437807341568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"]https://twitter.com/margaretcho/stat...rc=twsrc%5Etfw[/URL] She said sheâ??s never being exploited as a sex worker, but used the job to find strength and power. Last November, Cho admitted on Twitter that she was a survivor of repeated rape â?? between the ages of five and 12 by a family friend, then again by an acquaintance when she was 14. Choâ??s passionate defense of sex workers elicited a flurry of responses. Amid women who shared their own stories of abuse were comments from dozens of sex workers on what they feel their industry needs. The consensus: respect and protection. That means removing the criminality from their work so they can do their jobs and report abuse without fear of retribution. Margaret Cho â?@margaretcho Oct 31 What I need to know - what do sex workers want? What's best for you? I mean to help not hurt. We've been hurt enough. Show me how 2 fight 4 Femme Fatale â?@asbinvancity @margaretcho as a #sexworker I need #decriminalization of my job! Plus repeal #C36 @JustinTrudeau #cdnpoli 6:06 AM - 1 Nov 2015 [URL="https://twitter.com/asbinvancity/status/660820150749257729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"]https://twitter.com/asbinvancity/sta...rc=twsrc%5Etfw[/URL] [B]â??To try and legislate us out of existence â?? itâ??s just not going to happenâ??[/B] One of Scottâ??s clients first came to her seeking solace weeks after his wife died of cancer. â??He just lay in my bed, holding me while he cried. And then he talked about how much he loved his wife and how the house is now cold and dark when he gets home from work.â? Scott says she truly enjoys her job. It allows her to set her own hours and fees. She also chooses her clients, many of whom have become regulars. Some sheâ??s seen for 20 years. â??Thatâ??s longer than some marriages,â? she points out. But she feels sex workers are left â??in the closet,â? hidden the way gay and lesbian people were decades ago. â??We are an entire group of people. To try and legislate us out of existence â?? itâ??s just not going to happen. It wonâ??t work.â? At a recent TEDx talk in Toronto, Scott proclaimed: â??We are everyone and everywhere. We are regular human beings who do ordinary, everyday things.â? â??We have spouses, children and pets. We are at the PTA meetings and we are soccer moms.â? Same goes for the people paying for sex. â??They are your colleagues, your neighbours, your uncles, your brothers, your fathers and your husbands,â? Scott said. â??They are doctors, academics, teachers, off-duty policemen, restaurant owners, computer programmers, musicians and accountants.â? [B]â??Itâ??s important â?¦ that sex workers get brought to the tableâ??[/B] The incoming Liberals havenâ??t said yet what their plans are for Canadaâ??s prostitution laws. We still donâ??t know which lucky cabinet minister will be in charge of this file, along with numerous other legislative hot potatoes facing the new government. Scott wants new legislation replacing Bill C-36, modelled after New Zealandâ??s Prostitution Reform Act. That 2003 law decriminalized prostitution and entrenched sex workersâ?? rights in the human rights code, Scott said. Sex workers had to pay income taxes and violence against them decreased. One key legal component Scott wants is a limitation on brothel sizes. That way sex workers would be more likely to afford their own brothel and could receive the majority of the profits, rather than â??a strip club owner or corporationâ? controlling their livelihood. It would take months to craft new legislation to replace Bill C-36. If the billâ??s repealed right away, that would likely let sex workers communicate publicly, decriminalize the purchase of sex and lift a ban on advertising sexual services, Pivot says. Scott knows any change will take time. But when it does come, she wants to make sure she and her colleagues have a say in how theyâ??re governed. â??Itâ??s important that if they do want to change the law itâ??s of paramount importance that sex workers get brought to the table in a meaningful way. Because we are the experts of our own business.â? [URL="https://terb.cc/vbulletin/blog_post.php?do=newblog&p=5389284"][/URL] [/INDENT]

If they do, there are groups just chomping at the bit to launch a new constitutional challenge. I would hope that the new Liberal government does the right thing by either repealing C-36 outright, or at the very least refering the issue to the SCC. After all, why should we have to relive Bedford et.al for no reason, while in the meantime needless violence may be perpetrated on sex workers, and the lives of countless others are ruined? E.g. (I believe the original Bedford case took 7 years+ to wind its way through the courts).