OTTAWA -- A group of MPs studying Canada's prostitution laws is seeking $200,000 in federal funds to visit European cities with red-light zones and legal brothels. The five-member justice subcommittee plans to visit Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden. Reno, Nevada, is also on the destination list.
"We want to go to Sweden because they have a particular model there where they decriminalize the sex worker, or the prostitute, and they still criminalize the customers," said NDP MP Libby Davies. "In the U.K. they actually allow women to work out of their own homes. The Netherlands, of course, is a well-known situation where they have a fully operating area for the sex trade, and I think we're very interested to see what the impact of that is from various positions perspectives." John Carpay, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, is skeptical MPs will see a measurable research benefit from visiting brothels and red-light districts.
 | Don't know about research, but the benefits rock! |
"The onus would have to be on them to show why it's vital to visit those places in person," Carpay said. "There's a lot of research and a lot of literature available that the MPs' staff and the library of Parliament staff can make available."
| Ah, but nothing beats hands-on research when it comes to hookers. |
More importantly, there's no guarantee a visit will give a more accurate picture of what goes on in a red-light district or brothel - especially behind the scenes, Carpay said.
| Depends, how much walking around money you got? |
Nevada is the only state in the U.S. to have legalized prostitution, permitted only in licensed brothels. According to the group's $56,526 travel budget request, the Reno-area bawdy houses have endured sharp criticism for the conditions under which sex workers are forced to operate. MPs would benefit from visiting these areas and meeting with law-enforcement agencies, hookers counsellors strippers and call-girls brothel owners, the budget-request document states. The $143,678 travel-budget request for Liverpool, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Stockholm includes $62,840 for transportation, $25,328 for accommodation, $12,000 for food and $43,500 for items like interpretation, official gifts and fees.
The travelling party includes three lucky staff members. |