“Human trafficking is a dehumanizing and predatory crime that violates a person’s most basic human rights and dignity.
“Human traffickers prey upon people of all ages, ethnicities and genders. Traffickers coerce their victims into providing labour or sexual services against their will, and use threats and violence to trap them in a cycle of exploitation.
“Standing up for the vulnerable is a core responsibility of our government and we will not sit idly by and allow this abuse to go unchecked in Alberta. We are committed to protecting trafficking survivors, some of the most vulnerable people in Alberta. We have a nine-point Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking to take on traffickers and others who treat people as commodities.
“We must also all work together to increase awareness that human trafficking is a reality in our province. We must speak up and help those who need support.
“By recognizing National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we bring to light a crime that too often goes unreported or unintentionally ignored, and take a stand to protect survivors of human trafficking.
“We support these survivors. In the upcoming legislative session, we intend to deliver on a key platform commitment to enact legislation that will empower survivors of trafficking, help protect them, and provide new remedies they can take against their traffickers.”