Sex workers in Manitoba concerned over proposed legislation bringing changes to hotels
Sex workers are raising concerns about a proposed law aimed at cracking down on human traffickers who use short-term rentals, saying the move could make things less safe for them.
Last week the province introduced legislation that would mandate hotels and Airbnbs to collect names and addressees of all customers and keep a record of them. This would make it easier for police to track suspected human traffickers who use short-term rentals. Police would have access to the registry with a court order, but could also obtain information from it without a warrant on an urgent basis.
In a statement, the Sex Workers of Winnipeg Action Coalition questioned why police would need the increased access without a court order:
“Sex workers use rentals as safer spaces to see clients, and policing these areas further will not add any safety. In fact, we would argue that it decreases safety for sex workers by severely limiting safe places that sex workers conduct their work," the statement reads.
The coalition also has concerns about how the information will be kept secure.
Privacy Lawyer Andrew Buck said securing data like this could be harder to do for smaller businesses with limited resources.
"Anytime we’re collecting more information we always have to be careful and turn our minds toward, ‘how are we going to protect this information (and) for how long will we retain it’," Buck said.
The province said future regulations would spell out how the information is to be secured and for how long it needs to be kept.
When it comes to police getting information from the registry without a warrant, the legislation says a police officer must file a report to a commanding officer on why the demand was made, and a police service must prepare an annual report on the use of the urgent demands.
“The police will have full transparency as to how many records that they have obtained throughout the year, on an annual basis without that order, and why they had to take that extreme measure," Manitoba's Families Minister Rochelle Squires said on Friday.
The province also said the urgent demands would be used infrequently. The province said police currently have limited ability to access information of those at risk of being trafficked, which can lead to a delayed response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.