Sex Work Laws in Canada: Toward a Rights-Based Law Reform

LEAF is a national non-profit organization, founded in 1985. The funding LEAF receives directly supports our vital work in ensuring the law guarantees substantive equality for all women, girls, trans, and non-binary people in Canada. LEAF focuses on litigation, law reform, and public education.  In particular, we seek to advance gender equality by challenging laws, policies, and practices that discriminate against equality guarantees enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, most notably sections 15 and 28.

Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)

How can a reform of Canada's sex work laws centre human rights and evidence? How can civil society show solidarity to sex worker movements?

This panel will discuss the impact of Canada's sex work laws on sex workers and gender equality. Currently, Canada's sex work laws criminalize many aspects of the sex industry, including the sale of sexual services and third party involvement (i.e., materially benefitting from someone doing sex work). The panelists will discuss the impact of Canada's sex work laws on sex workers' safety and human rights, and why law reform centered on evidence and human rights is needed. Panelists will also discuss how sex workers have long been advocating for their rights, and how civil society and gender equality organizations like LEAF can provide solidarity and support to sex workers' movements.This program contains1 hour and 30 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content accredited by the Law Society of Ontario.Panelists: <ul><li>Elene Lam • Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network)</li><li>Jenn Clamen • Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform</li><li>Monica Forrester • Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers Action Project</li><li>Pam Hrick • Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) </li></ul>Moderated by Rosel Kim (LEAF)-- About the PanelistsElene Lam (LLM, MSW) is the Executive Director of Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Networks). She has been involved in sex workers, labour, migrant, gender and racial justice movement for over 20 years. She is fighting to stop the harms perpetrated by the criminalization, anti-trafficking movement and policies. Jenn Clamen is an advocate for the rights of sex workers in Canada and around the world, and she is the National Coordinator for the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform. The Alliance is a coalition of sex worker and allied organizations across Canada advocating for law and policy reform that respects and upholds the rights and safety of sex workers. Members of the Alliance have expertise, analysis and experience on the impact of criminal and other sex work-related prohibitions on the lives and wellbeing of those who sell or trade sex.Monica Forrester is a Program and Outreach co-ordinator for Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers Action Project. Since 1999, she has worked in various agencies to educate and make services accessible for trans* folks. She actively works to promote awareness and visibility of trans women. From living and working on the streets to being instrumental in creating a drop-in and an outreach program for transpeople at the 519 to her current work as a program coordinator for Maggie’s Toronto Sex Workers Action Project, Forrester has long advocated for transgender people in Toronto. She was also part of advocating for trans women to be allowed into women’s shelters and in creating policies to prevent shelters from discriminating against trans women. Monica is the founder of Trans Pride Toronto.Pam Hrick is the Executive Director &amp; General Counsel at LEAF. She leads and manages LEAF’s legal activities and daily operations, and works with the Board to develop the vision and strategic plan for the organization. She provides leadership, expertise, support, and direction to LEAF’s work on litigation, law reform, and public education. Pam joined LEAF from Stockwoods LLP, where she practiced law for several years. She previously clerked for the Hon. Justice Thomas A. Cromwell at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Hon. Justice David Stratas at the Federal Court of Appeal. Before commencing her legal career, Ms. Hrick also served as the Legislative Advisor and Issues Manager to the Attorney General of Ontario. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa, her JD from Queen’s University, and her LLM from New York University.

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Sex Work Laws in Canada: Toward a Rights-Based Law Reform

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Sex Work Laws in Canada: Toward a Rights-Based Law Reform

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