This paper examines rhetoric surrounding prostitution law reform in Canada from to the present. During the s and s, there was very little media or political attention paid to prostitution.
It was not until the mid s that perceived problems with prostitution law began to surface, driven by concerns that the criminal code statute prohibiting street prostitution was not enforceable.
In the Liberal government appointed the Special Committee on Pornography and Prostitution to consider options for law and policy reform. However, the Conservative government that received the report in rejected the sweeping law changes the Special Committee recommended, opting instead to rewrite the street prostitution offence. Since then the murder of somewhere between and street prostitutes has prompted renewed calls for law reform. The majority report held that consenting adult prostitution should be legal, while the minority report held that it should be prohibited.
In the Standing Committee on the Status of Women recommended that Canada adopt the Nordic model of demand-side prohibition. As the deadlock continues, women in the street sex trade continue to be murdered.
The paper concludes with an update on the progress of the Charter challenges now before the courts. Prostitution Law Reform , Canada. Latham and C.
