The federal government has renewed its call for a crack down on human smugglers, hoping to curtail a rising tide of organized crime-driven illegal trafficking in helpless and abused men, women and children.
And although West Central Alberta is a long way from the seaside ports being used to illegally smuggle people into Canada, government efforts to secure the boarders, while at the same time ensuring legitimate migrant claimants can still get a fair hearing, is in Alberta's best interest.
On the other hand, to allow shocking incidents like the one recently seen in B.C. where hundreds of people were literally stuffed into the stinking hold of a barely seaworthy ship, to continue unabated is simply not acceptable.
The federal government says its new ëPreventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act' will give law enforcement officials and the courts new tools to better fight human smugglers. Measures in the new act include:
ï Making it easier to prosecute human smugglers;
ï Imposing mandatory prison sentences on convicted human smugglers;
ï And holding ship owners and operators to account for use of their ships in human smuggling operations.
The government says the law will also help guarantee the safety and security of Canadian towns and cities in several ways, including providing for mandatory detention of illegal migrants for up to one year to allow for the ìdetermination of identity, inadmissibility and illegal activity.î
ìCanadians have spoken loud and clear regarding the abuse of our generous immigration system by human smugglers: it has to stop,î said Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.
ìAs such, we call on all members of Parliament to pass this important legislation without delay and before further boats turn up on Canadian shores.î
Recent investigations have identified a number of syndicated criminal networks currently involved in human smuggling in Canada, he said.
Human smugglers make huge profits by exploiting vulnerable and abused people, risking innocent lives on dangerous sea voyages and then quite literally dumping their human cargos on Canada's shores before scurrying off for another load.
Incredible as it seems, we are witnessing a situation in 2011 that has parallels to the dark and wicked days of the African slave trade.
As such, MPs from all parties should put aside their differences and make sure this act aimed at human smugglers is passed into law during the current Parliamentary session.
At the same time, those same MPs should and must continue to work diligently to ensure that oppressed and endangered men, women and children in other counties can still find safe refuge in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada.
-D.S.
