How two N.S. Crown attorneys are fighting human trafficking in the province
Two special prosecutors tasked with taking on Nova Scotia's human trafficking cases are sharing some insight into what's currently happening in the province's courts.
The two Crown attorneys are the only ones in Nova Scotia who solely focus on human trafficking cases — with the second only recently hired after a funding boost from the province.
"It's very exciting to have the resources to give these very important cases due care and attention," said Alicia Kennedy, a Nova Scotia crown attorney.
Currently, the pair is handling 15 cases in Nova Scotia — the province with the highest rate of human trafficking per-capita in the country.
They say their cases often involve specific groups of people, including women and girls frequently, and more specifically, Indigenous and African Nova Scotians, who they say are overrepresented among victims.
"The majority of our open prosecutions involve single accused targeting multiple victims," said Crown Attorney Josie McKinney. "All of our files are grounded in manipulation; emotional and psychological manipulation."
"The offence itself relies on exploitation, it relies on taking advantage of vulnerabilities," said Kennedy.
An example the pair gave was of a woman forming what seemed to be a relationship with someone they know, which ends up turning into a controlling situation. They say, in some cases, victims are taken away — first to New Brunswick.
"And then from there, they move on to Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Newfoundland, and that's known as 'the circuit,'" said McKinney.
Sometimes the crimes make headlines, like last November when police in Bridgewater charged two people after a New Brunswick teen called 911 saying she found herself in a Bridgewater motel without knowing how she got there. That case hasn't gone to trial yet.
"It's a very long re-traumatizing journey to get to justice," said Kendra MacKinnon, with the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking.
"It makes a huge difference that they're practicing from a trauma-informed lens and that they know the nuances that are involved in the human trafficking landscape."
"I believe that we have improved trust, public trust in the work that we're doing," said McKinney.
Both McKinney and Kennedy also teach community agencies and police about human trafficking — adding prevention to their roles as prosecutors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.