Canada's Human Trafficking Awareness

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February 22nd is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada.

I believe Canada has a destiny. One way to walk in the direction of our destiny is to contend for the hope, healing and restoration of others. Although Human Trafficking isn’t the ONLY aspect of injustice in our midst, it certainly has captured my attention over the years.

Awareness is key as it leads to action.

Canada didn’t always have a formalized awareness day for Human Trafficking. January 21st though was the date that the USA instituted it in 2010. Canada observed that date in a minor way until a few years later, and some provinces adopted Feb 22 over the last decade. It wasn’t until 2021, that it became a nationally recognized date! Today, I want to bring awareness to this issue- both locally, nationally and internationally.

“That, in the opinion of the House, the government should encourage Canadians to raise awareness of the magnitude of modern day slavery in Canada and abroad and to take steps to combat human trafficking, and should do so by designating the 22nd day of February each year as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, to coincide with the anniversary of the unanimous declaration of the House on February 22, 2007, to condemn all forms of human trafficking and slavery.”
— Canadian House of Commons

Meeting Joy Smith in 2015 in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Grateful for the work of many trailblazers across this nation of Canada who have fought hard and long to get this issue and cause on the table. One that I’ve followed and highly respect in this fight is former MP Joy Smith who after making major changes at the governmental level, started up her own charity (The Joy Smith Foundation) to bring more awareness and prevention and support victims of sex trafficking across Canada. When I was sensing the nudge to lend my voice to the cause and help others in my province get something going to address this issue, I called up Joy and she graciously met me at a coffee shop in Winnipeg Manitoba in the summer of 2015. I helped organize a “Ride for Refuge” for her foundation that fall and gleaned much from her wisdom, perseverance and JOY! She recently celebrated her 75th birthday. A woman of great faith who has influenced many in this nation to take action in some way:) What a legacy!

For me? I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to help launch a charity that year in 2015 here in Saskatchewan. No, God got my attention little by little through His own “awareness campaign of the soul” to move me towards action. As one of the founding directors of Hope Restored Canada, I am grateful that God got a hold of my heart for this area of oppression and injustice. It’s not the “Pretty Woman” facade that most of us understood as movie makers would create an illusion of glamour and adventure of the prostitution industry. NO, God first arrested my heart by witnessing women who were being exploited on the streets of Saskatoon and then sitting down for coffee with a woman in the 90’s who wanted to leave the industry but felt trapped, my heart broke for this issue. Little by little, I was growing more weary of the hopelessness that many women felt. God also used resources like documentaries, webinars or books to expose me to the complexities that this cause truly is- both here in Canada and across the globe.

Documentaries that Shed a Massive Light On Modern Day Slavery

TRIGGER WARNING: I am a visual learner and learn best that way. At the same time, I want to recognize that some individuals may be triggered by watching this material. They contain stories of harm, traumatizing events, and words or imagery that may be upsetting to the viewer. There is no nudity, but language, or scenes may be upsetting for some. At the same time, both documentaries shared below provide some measure of hope.

Saskatoon Made Documentary: “Hookers”

Back in 2008, Becky (a pastoral leader/ musician friend of mine), invited me over to her inner city home as she wanted to have me watch this locally made documentary called “Hookers”, a 52 minute story of Hope and Survival by Marcel Petit. In this film, he interviewed local women who have been exploited or prostituted in Saskatoon be it through coercion, circumstance or choice. My friend regularly witnessed women being picked up in cars/ vans/ trucks in her neighbourhood and she grew with a heart of compassion as she’d see them outside her window. She knew me as a woman who is passionate about women's issues, so invited me to watch the video with her. I felt the heaviness, tears and burden of this with her on her basement couch that day.

“Nefarious Merchant of Souls” By Exodus Cry

The second documentary that caught my attention was in and around 2011-2012 that was shared by a local group that hosted a movie screening at the Youth for Christ Building in Saskatoon. Saskatoon Acts hosted their events at various venues throughout the city and for a few years, they had a clear mission:

“We believe it is God’s call for us is to raise awareness of the issue of human exploitation by educating our community while helping organizations with resources to accomplish more, undergirded by a radical focus on prayer and petitioning God on behalf of the victims – and even the perpetrators. We want to equip our members and others with action steps to effectively respond to the evils of human exploitation…”

They did just that for me. I’d go each month for a few years in and around 2010 regularly learning about laws, the buyers, those exploited through stories and documentaries including Nefarious Merchant of Souls which was the most soul stirring movie that awoke my soul to the need for HOPE for all involved (Buyers, traffickers, exploited individuals) and the tie in with the many root causes. This documentary is 1 hour and 40 minutes and currently available for free on Youtube.

Although I was slowly learning about this cause and wanting to do something about it in my city, my country… It wasn’t until 2015 where I stepped out in faith with other likeminded individuals and launched our charity Hope Restored Canada. Much has happened within the organizational development since it’s beginning stages. I am thrilled to see it grow with more involved with a growing staff, board, volunteers, increased funding and partnerships developed and more community awareness in general. Yet, we’ve only just becun. Even during the pandemic, the marketing agency “Chess Club” chose Hope Restored Canada in their giving in 2021 who supported HRC through their :

“Random Ads of Kindness, a Chess Club initiative that allows us to show our love and gratitude to Saskatchewan organizations. This year we donated our time and resources to Hope Restored Canada - an organization that helps heal women escaping sexual exploitation and trafficking - with the creation of materials they could utilize anywhere. We were so heartened to see this message over the streets of Saskatoon this week.”

I love the analogy of the Red Rose as pictured in the photos below created by Chess Club. This speaks to my heart that beauty can come out of the ashes of life. One of the wake up calls in our communities is the reality that Trafficking happens here in our country of Canada, not just in far away nations. Sex Trafficking and Exploitation- happens here- Growth happens here - Transformation happens here - HOPE happens here.

Survivor Stories

Click here for my playlist on Youtube as I’ve gathered a diverse links to survivor stories.



As I wind down my board involvement this next month as we prep for our AGM the end of March, I want to end by saying that in many ways I have my own hope restored as I’ve stepped out in this way. Our board and staff is growing with each passing year. It’s been a labour of love, a joy to serve and I will continue to support the cause in various ways as I move forward. If you’d like to learn more about the issue at hand, I’ve included some resource links below:

Other Recommended Resources:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead