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OTTAWA — At least 600 foreign women and girls are coerced into joining the Canadian sex trade each year by human traffickers, says a newly declassified RCMP report.

As many as 2,200 other newcomers are smuggled into the United States from Canada to toil in brothels, sweatshops, domestic jobs or construction work, estimates the intelligence assessment obtained by The Canadian Press.

And the RCMP says the numbers may represent just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as it is widely believed only one in 10 victims of trafficking report the crime to police.

A public furor recently prompted the federal government to halt a visa program intended to help Canadian strip clubs hire foreign women.

The RCMP report highlights an ugly phenomenon in which traffickers use deception or force to exploit the vulnerable people they bring to Canada, making them work in slave-like conditions in the sex business and other trades.

Anywhere from 700,000 to four million people are trafficked globally each year, though it is difficult to tell “how much of this activity is occurring in Canada,” the assessment says.

“The failure by law enforcement to recognize and identify this type of crime creates significant problems in terms of investigation and information gathering.”

The report, marked Canadian Eyes Only, is the result of Project Surrender, a groundbreaking effort by the RCMP’s criminal intelligence directorate to document the extent of human trafficking to Canada.

A censored version of the assessment, completed last January, was obtained under the Access to Information Act.

In compiling the report, analysts sifted through data from the RCMP immigration and passport sections, the Immigration Department and municipal police forces, as well as criminal data banks, international studies and media reports.

Most of the illicit activity occurred in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

A “conservative estimate” indicates about 600 women and girls are introduced into the Canadian sex trade annually by traffickers, says the report.

The number of persons “easily increases” to 800 when expanded to include migrants brought into the country by criminal organizations to support illicit operations such as selling drugs or tending marijuana growing operations, and others who are forced to work off debt or pay fees to crime groups.

Women have entered Canada for the sex trade under a variety of circumstances, the report says.

“They have been tricked, forced, obligated to a debt payment schedule or, as a permanent commodity, are trafficked from city to city through Canada and the U.S.A.

“There have also been cases of Canadian girls, coerced or kidnapped, fraudulently entering the U.S.A. and forced into prostitution.”

Large organizations operating in Canada, active over decades, can move 30 to 40 people into the United States each month.

Case figures indicate that between 1,500 and 2,200 people are trafficked from Canada into the U.S. annually, though the RCMP stresses the numbers may be only a fraction of the actual total.

Other case examples include:

• The smuggling of Polish nationals through Toronto and on to Chicago, many destined to work for vehicle “chop shops” for gangs dealing in stolen cars.
• Asians brought illegally to Canada’s west coast who have moved to New York, Los Angeles and other American destinations to work in sweat shops or criminal networks.
• The smuggling of Hondurans to Canada to serve as drug couriers on Vancouver streets.
• Abuse of “mail-order bride” programs by East European crime groups to bring women into the country and exploit them.

The 17,000 seasonal agricultural workers from abroad who tend Canadian farms and orchards each year may also be open to exploitation, the report notes.

“Some of these workers have entered Canada illegally, making them vulnerable to inadequate pay and conditions,” it says.

Trafficking in persons became an offence in Canada in June 2002, but there had been no cases brought before Canadian courts at the time of the report.

The RCMP moved this year to redirect resources into a new unit to fight human trafficking.

The Canadian Council for Refugees wants the government to protect victims of the crime.

Many of the abused and exploited are routinely treated as people who have simply broken the immigration law, says the council. As a result, they are detained and deported.

“And they often are going back to the same situation that put them in jeopardy in the first place,” said Amy Casipullai, the council’s vice-president.

The Mounties had no immediate comment on the intelligence report.

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Executive produced by Spike Jonze, this (RED), HBO & Anonymous Content 30-minute documentary follows the story of HIV positive people in Africa who were at death’s door and in as little as 40 days undergo a remarkable transformation to health, when they gain access to the 2 lifesaving pills that cost around 40 cents a day. Directed by Lance Bangs.

HOW likely are French parliamentarians to approve the proposed “burqa ban”? Deputies get their first chance to debate the idea in parliament on Tuesday May 11th. As a first step, the National Assembly will examine a resolution, which carries symbolic value, but not legal force. Yet it will be a good test of the political mood. It is likely to be approved with thunderous cross-party support.

French backing for a burqa ban across the political spectrum is sometimes hard to understand. In many multicultural quarters of Europe, the idea is linked to the extreme or nationalist right. In Britain, for instance, the only party proposing a total burqa ban during the recent general-election campaign was the United Kingdom Independence Party, which also wants to pull the country out of the European Union. The far-right British National Party also called for a burqa ban in schools. One Labour minister replied that it was “not British” to tell people what to wear in the street. In a speech in Cairo last year, President Barack Obama argued that Western countries should not be “dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear”.

In France, however, the proposal draws backing from the mainstream left and right. President Nicolas Sarkozy, from the political right, said last year that the burqa, as the French call it (in reality, they mean the niqab, or all-over face-covering veil), was “not welcome” on French soil. Jean-François Copé, the leader of the ruling UMP party in parliament, has been the most active in pushing for a total ban (The Economistinterviewed Mr Copé last week). Yet the idea is also backed by politicians of all stripes, including the Communist head of a parliamentary inquiry into a ban, and various leading Socialists.

One reason for this is France’s tradition of laïcité, a strict form of secularism, enshrined by law since 1905, and which keeps religion out of public institutions. At the time, the anti-clericalism behind the movement was largely inspired by the political left, and this legacy informs much left-wing thinking on secular matters today. When the French right proposed a ban on the headscarf (and other “conspicuous” religious symbols) in state schools in 2004, for example, the left voted massively in favour. The Socialist Party is expected to vote in favour of this week’s parliamentary resolution.

Unlike the headscarf ban, however, the upcoming law against the wearing of the burqa is not couched in terms of secularism. When a ban was first mooted, it was assumed that the legal basis for it would be French laïcité. Politicians soon realised, though, that to use this argument would be to accept that the burqa is a religious prescription of Islam. Most Muslim opinion-makers in France, including the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), an official body, and female Muslim ministers, such as Fadela Amara, reject this. The CFCM has clearly stated its “opposition to the practice on national territory”, although it also argues that a ban would stigmatise Islam.

Instead, the French are considering two grounds for outlawing the burqa, each of which—unlike laïcité—could potentially be applied in other countries. One is security, and the need to be identifiable at all times. The other is “dignity” and “equality between men and women”. Although very few women in France cover their faces—no more than 2,000, according to official estimates—it is a new trend. Politicians and researchers say that the wearing of the headscarf by French Muslims, many of whom are of North African origin where there is no tradition of covering the face, is a sign of manipulation by hardline Islamic radicals keen to test the French state. The French are unapologetic about wanting to reassert “the values of the republic” by going ahead with a ban.

How it would be applied in practice remains unclear. As it is, the Conseil d’Etat, the highest administrative court, has expressed worries about the legal grounds for a ban. If passed, Mr Copé says that it will apply not only to French Muslims, but to visitors from the Middle East too. Would such women be fined while doing their shopping on the Champs-Elysées? How can the government be sure that a woman is wearing the burqa under orders from her menfolk? Would it not lead to their further isolation, as they felt unable to venture out of the home? If that were indeed the upshot, it would be paradoxical for a law designed in part to ensure equality for women.

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16098516&frsc=scn/fb/wl/ar/lf

A 26-year-old Tunisian woman was fined in northern Italy while wearing a Muslim veil in public, reports say.

The woman was walking to a mosque, Friday with her husband when she was stopped by police and ticketed 500 euros, or about C$665, in Novara, about 38 kilometres west of Milan.

The city of 100,000 passed a bylaw in January outlawing clothes that ‘prevent identification by police.’

The region is home to the Northern League, a coalition ally supporting Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which seeks a nationwide ban on the traditional Islamic garments, similar to laws being proposed in Belgium and France.

Supporters say the veils are detrimental to public security and deny woman dignity.

Opponents argue such bans violate human and constitutional rights.

In Canada, Quebec is considering barring women who wear a veil from receiving government services.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/yahoocanada/100504/canada/italian_police_fine_women_for_burqa

There’s been alot of talk lately about the Niqab or Bourqa (a headdress worn by Islamic women which covers not only the head but the face as well).
Tell us what you think - should the Niqab be illegal? Would you want to deal with or be served by a women in a Niqab?

(Please answer in the comment box below)

I was thinking about Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ while chomping down on an egg roll earlier. I didn’t watch the film nor do I plan to. Obviously, this post shan’t attempt to review the film itself. However, the subject of the film is enough for me.

I’ll tell you what’ll be incovenient. If 10,20,30 years from now the film will still be shown in classrooms or the data will continue to be adjusted so as to meet the ever challenges of nature’s demands.Some pony tailed dude in broken down sandals weakened physically (with a brain fed on nothing but sunflower sprouts - which are delicious in a sandwich and salad by the way. I add toasted almonds to that and hm-mm! Good feedin’!) by a vegan diet will continue to preach to a new generation of kids about the inevitability of it all. At some point, dude will be right, right? Give the guy some credit for sticking to his beliefs. Seriously.

Further inconveniences will happen if sequels are made. The only reason why I bring this up is not because I don’t believe we abuse the earth (I think we do), but because (as a somewhat of a betting man), I wage that the doomsday scenarios depicted if  “we don’t act” won’t happen. Not at the speed, at least, posited by global warming/climate change practitioners. I don’t know what to call them anymore.

One last note about Gore, why does he hide behind a movie to espouse his views but doesn’t debate publicly about the terror in our midst? One would think if we’re in dire circumstances the guy would tirelessly hit the public speaking discourse.

How convenient!

http://friendlymisanthropist.blogspot.com/search/label/climate%20change

Women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes, an Iranian cleric says.

Hojjat ol-eslam Kazem Sediqi, the acting Friday prayer leader in Tehran, said women should stick to strict codes of modesty to protect themselves.

“Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes,” he explained.

Tens of thousands of people have died in Iran earthquakes in the last decade.

Mr Sediqi was delivering a televised sermon at the Tehran University campus mosque last Friday on the need for a “general repentance” by Iranians when he warned of a “prevalence of degeneracy”.

“What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble? There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam’s moral codes,” he said.

‘Disappoint God’

Correspondents say many young Iranians sometimes push the boundaries of how they can dress, showing hair under their headscarves or wearing tight-fitting clothes.

Mr Sediqi also described the violence following last year’s disputed presidential election - the result of which prompted thousands of people to hold mass protests - as a “political earthquake”.

“Now if a natural earthquake hits Tehran, no one will be able to confront such a calamity but God’s power, only God’s power. So lets not disappoint God.”

More than 25,000 people died when a powerful earthquake hit the ancient city of Bam in 2003.

Seismologists have warned that the capital, Tehran, is situated on a large number of tectonic fault lines and could be hit by a devastating earthquake soon.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said many of Tehran’s 12 million inhabitants should relocate.

There are plans to build a purpose built new capital near Qom.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8631775.stm

The crime statistics of world’s five most dangerous cities are disheartening and shocking. With such high rates of homicide, robberies and violence these cities deservedly bear the names of ‘the places of chaos and death’ or ‘the murder capitals of the world’. Despite the scary data, some of them still remain wanted tourist destinations, though extreme caution is strongly advised when visiting.

5. Cape Town. South Africa.

62 killings per 100 000 residents

Crime has been a major problem in South Africa (both for locals and travelers) for many years now, and the murder and robbery statistics loom large in today’s society.
The “good” news is that the number of killings declined by 3.4% to around 18 000 (sic!) between April 2008 and March 2009. Still there are 50 murders a day in South Africa. The latest data shows that there have been 71,500 sexual offenses (10% increase), 18,400 burglaries (27% increase), and 13,900 business robberies (41% increase) reported from April 2008 to March 2009. If it’s any consolation, the street robbery declined by 7% to 72,194.

The beautifully located Cape Town is among the most dangerous towns in the country due to its high level of robberies, rapes, kidnappings and murders. The city is about the same size as Caracas and it has a murder rate of 62 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to the police, the homicides usually occur in the poorer districts and suburbs of the town rather than in upscale areas. Due to the poverty (the country has been facing a deep recession) the robberies are common. Therefore, traveling alone and using ATM’s at night is not advised.

4. New Orleans. The USA.

95 killings per 100 000 residents

The homicide rate in New Orleans ranks way above other American cities and towns, and therefore the city has been named the murder capital of the USA. The total number of murders equaled 179 in 2008 in this small city of around 300,000 residents. Nevertheless, there have been 15% fewer killings in 2008 than in 2007 when the police reported 210 murders. Also other crime rates are dropping in the town. Rape went down by 44% and armed robbery 4.85% in 2008 in comparison to 2007.

Still, according to the FBI data there have been 95 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2008. In turn New Orleans Police Department reported 67 murders per 100,000 in 2008. A scary comparison has recently been made by the Time magazine stating that Baghdad in Iraq with its murder rate of about 48 per 100,000 people is now being safer, considering the statistics, than New Orleans.
Violent crime is a serious problem especially in the low-income neighborhoods of the town. Lonely Planet advises travelers to New Orleans to be cautious and avoid walks at night, especially if you are alone.

3. Caracas. Venezuela.

130 killings per 100 000 residents

Another unsafe destination among world’s most dangerous cities is Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.
At the end of 2008 the Foreign Policy magazine called the city “the murder capital of the world”. According to the official statistics there have been 130 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2008. Only in December 2008 there were at least 510 people killed in the capital, as CNN reported.

The problems of Caracas are not only drug trade and gang battles, but also increasing poverty of the city inhabited by around 4 million people. Murders mainly take place in the capital’s poorest areas - between 1970s and 1990s the poverty rate increased by 300% to 65%. Although during the oil boom the economic situation improved, the poverty level remains very high.

Moreover, experts underline that the murder ratio has increased by 67% since President Chavez took control over the country. There is police abuse, no gun control, and no good control over the militias, as various media report.

2. Ciudad Juárez. Mexico

130 killings per 100 000 residents

Also Mexico, one of the world’s greatest travel destinations thanks to its fascinating history and stunning natural sites, is, unfortunately, facing a serious problem of robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault and drug-related crimes.
Among worst affected areas in the country is the Chihuahua state and, above all, Ciudad Juárez. The city located across the U.S and Mexican border, home to 1.5 million people, has recently got a very bad reputation due to its shocking rates of violence. Bloody and violent fighting between the drug cartels have spread across the town, posing a serious threat to locals and travelers.

Since January 2007 there have been 8330 drug-related murders reported in Mexico, of which 50% accounted for Ciudad Juárez. The city reports 130 murders per 100,000 inhabitants (as of August 2009), which is currently the world’s highest murder rate ( outside the official war zone). In February 2009 the U.S. State Department announced that since January 2008 there had been 1,800 people killed in the city.

1. Mogadishu. Somalia.

No data

The governments’ warnings about traveling to Somalia are unanimous: this African country remains extremely dangerous and there is an enormous risk to anyone’s security due to the threat of terrorism, clan-based and ethnic fighting as well as high level of kidnapping and piracy off the coast.

The epicenter of this brutal crimes and cruelty is Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. The city has been devastated by the ongoing civil war. As of 2008, around half of the city’s population (0.5 million) have left the war-torn capital, according to the United Nations. Dozens of people are wounded every day in Mogadishu, and frequent bombings kill many of civilians. No one really knows how many people have been killed in the city, but without dispute Mogadishu remains the most lawless and dangerous city in the world. This is how BBC describes the everyday scenes in Mogadishu: “The crump of mortars; the crackle of gunfire; eerily empty streets; prowling guerrillas and looters; sprawling refugee camps; hospitals overflowing with casualties, their bodies smashed open by bullets, shells and shrapnel…”.

Since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991 one million people have lost lives in Somalia due to the civil war and famine.

JOHANNESBURG - Giant footballs and national flags line the streets as South Africa counts down to the World Cup, but with two months to go until kick-off, fears about violence and racial strife linger.

As the June 11 opening match nears, Africa’s much-anticipated first World Cup is materializing in football fever with South Africans donning team jerseys, flying flags and a marketing onslaught by host cities.

But concerns about violence and racial tension in the crime-plagued country have re-emerged after the murder of a white supremacist leader.

The killing of Eugene Terre’Blanche, allegedly hacked to death after a wage dispute on his farm, has focused new attention on violent crime and race tensions in South Africa after his supporters initially vowed revenge.

“It’s not going to happen,” local organizing committee chief Danny Jordaan said Thursday.

The South African government, which has spent 33 million rands (US $4.5 million) on the tournament, hopes to give a boost to the country’s image, luring foreign tourists and investment.

It is also counting on the event to build national unity in a country that still bears the scars of apartheid 16 years after the end of the segregationist regime.

On April 15, South Africans will for the first time be able to buy match tickets at sales windows instead of online, coming away with tickets in hand.

World Cup banners and football jerseys have become ubiquitous, and street vendors’ stalls are dripping with football gear.

Adding to the air of celebration, FIFA announced last month that the June 10 kick-off concert in Johannesburg will feature such international celebrities as Shakira, Alicia Keys and the Black Eyed Peas.

Recently, national flags have been flying from car windows even in white neighbourhoods, where football has never been popular, and giant inflated footballs have dotted host cities.

Last month the police department said it would deploy 41,000 extra police and keep the army on a “state of alert” during the tournament.

The country’s security measure also received a nod from the Interpol, which last month said it was satisfied with the country’s security plans.

But South Africa has in recent months seen scores of violent protests over shoddy public services in poor neighbourhoods, and violence over a new bus networks to overhaul long-neglected public transport ahead of the tournament.

The cities’ collective mini-bus drivers, who for decades enjoyed a monopoly as the apartheid regime, have protested violently against the systems.

As the June 11 opening match nears, South Africa’s worries also extend to the mediocre performance of the national side Bafana Bafana (The Boys), who will play Mexico at Soccer City in the curtain-raiser.

Coach Carlos Parreira said the team needs to improve its fitness and ball possession.

“If there’s one thing I’d like to see the team do much better, it’s in valuing the ball possession,” he told journalists.

“If you see games here in the league, it’s like table tennis. Go and come, go and come. Nobody keeps the ball.”

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