Prostitution legislation to remain unchanged

OTTAWA - Decriminalizing prostitution would lead to the exploitation of women and it is, therefore, off the table for the current Conservative government, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says in a report."This government condemns any conduct that results in exploitation or abuse and, accordingly, does not support any reforms, such as decriminalization, that would facilitate such exploitation," Mr. Nicholson wrote the House of Commons justice committee. "For these reasons, this government continues to address prostitution by focusing on reducing its prevalence."Prostitution itself is not illegal technically, but other anti-prostitution laws effectively prohibit it, such as a ban on communication for the purposes of prostitution in a public space.Font: ****Mr. Nicholson was responding to a report from a justice subcommittee, which was unable to come up with a consensus on whether solicitation should be removed from the Criminal Code after studying the issue for almost two years and hearing from about 300 witnesses across the country.He said the government considers prostitution to be "degrading and dehumanizing" and that it is "often committed and controlled by coercive individuals against those who are frequently powerless to protect themselves from abuse and exploitation."In a December, 2006, report, the majority of MPs on the subcommittee concluded sex between two consenting adults should not be illegal, "whether or not payment is involved."