Canadian laws get tougher against human smugglers

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Canadian laws get tougher against human smugglers

The Canadian government will target criminal organizations that orchestrate the smuggling of migrants into Canada for profit and establish minimum prison sentences as part of a promised crackdown on human smuggling.
The new measures, being announced Thursday in Vancouver, will also tighten existing legal language to enhance chances of convicting accused smugglers and establish - for the first time - mandatory minimum sentences of up to 10 years, reported Global Toronto
A major goal will be to track down and successfully prosecute people living in Canada who play a role in the smuggling operation.
People found guilty of smuggling more than 50 people into Canada for profit while putting their lives in danger will face a mandatory 10 years in prison.
A senior government official laid out some of the provisions on the eve of the announcement by Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, the two key ministers on the file.
The Canadian government has been promising tough, new anti-smuggling initiatives since a ship carrying almost 500 Tamils landed on the B.C. coast in August, less than year after an earlier boat had landed with more than 72 Sri Lankan Tamils. All have sought refugee status.
The Canadian government's campaign to highlight the evils of smuggling picked up last week against the backdrop of reports, taken seriously by authorities in Canada, that another ship loaded with migrants was headed to Canada.
The government says prosecutors have had trouble nailing smugglers under current laws because they have to prove the accused knew the individuals being smuggled did not have the documents required to enter Canada.
The law has prevented prosecutors from bringing charges against the smugglers connected with the two ships that arrived from Sri Lanka - the Ocean Lady and the Sun Sea.
The proposed rewrite will remove some of the onus on the prosecutor to prove the smugglers knew they were carrying illegal migrants.
Officials say the package is detailed and complicated, in part because it involves tweaking several laws. Officials have struggled for months to put together a package that won the approval of cabinet and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, reported Global Toronto.
Courtesy: President Media Unit