Kudos to The Citizen and to reporter Ted Clarke for your thorough and thoughtful article about the hidden but pervasive crime of human trafficking. Many Canadians believe that slavery was abolished with the US civil war or that, if it still exists, it's only in developing countries. But the harsh reality is that it goes on right here in B.C., across Canada and around the world, aided by the global reach of the internet. Just recently, the Canadian Press reported on an escort agency in Kamloops recruiting girls via Facebook.
The B.C. Teachers' Federation is working with the B.C. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness about this growing problem and to find strategies to assist teachers, police and community workers to keep our young people safe from predatory individuals who seek to exploit their youth and vulnerability.
Susan Lambert, President
BC Teachers' Federation
