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
Asking rent prices up 9.3% across Canada, Ontario sees only decline: report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.