Last week the Supreme Court of Canada, unanimously struck down all the laws dealing with prostitution in Canada, giving Parliament one year to come up with replacement laws, that, as reported by Sean Fine, of the Globe and Mail, are not "laws that heighten the dangers to vulnerable prostitutes and violate Canada's basic values..."
In the article, Fine quotes Constable Brian Montague, a spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department, as saying the police already have policies that "reflect" the court's concerns. "The safety of sex workers is a priority for us and enforcement is often a last resort."
And so what to do now, is not only a profound decision on the political table, but a profound decision on the hearts of the Canadian people as well. Already, the National Post reports, Nevada prostitution brothel franchises are looking to expand to Canada.
I think a good Christian response to this situation would be for Christian churches to build safe houses across the street from the new brothels so that any woman who wants help escaping the sex trade and human sex trafficking, can receive the immediate love and care and assistance, she needs. And perhaps the new laws could focus on sex trafficking, where girls and women are forced into prostitution against their will. And the "safe" houses will have to be really safe with police security.
These safe houses should be funded in part by matching federal government funds. It is very reasonable, that the best way for the government, to capture the vision of the common people for the greater good, is to match the funds of private people, already doing this good work. And of course, some of these people are Christians, that not only have a God inspired vision for the common good, but also have a love for all people, that is unswerving.
What is this vision? This vision is that children not only have the Canadian charter right, but also the God given right, to parents who are taught to be there, for them, as best they can, always. It is the vision of Canada's first priority as a nation, is the giving of ourselves, to promote the happiness and prosperity, of young families with children.
How will Canada be different from other countries with brothels in every city? In the book Shantaram the author Gregory David Roberts, shows us that the alienated traveller from the family life of the vision above, can find his or her way home again, but the journey can often be long and immensely hard and profound. We all have prodigal sons and daughters, and Christ in the Bible teaches us to love them with an everlasting love, that never fails.
Roberts' novel Shantaram takes place in Bombay/Mumbai, India where brothels are "taxed" by underground bribes to the police, and not all the girls are willing participants. And there are no safe houses. (Actually, there are Christian missions in India rescuing women trapped in human sex trafficing, but it is a big job.)
One of the captivating characters in the novel is a beautiful green eyed lady, who says "The truth is a bully. Roberts is fascinated by this, but does not necessarilly agree with it.
Rather "The truth" is, "a vision for the common good", communicated with eloquence, by people who are kind and loving and helping. And "the truth" is young families with children, growing up as strong, and healthy and prosperous, as possible.
It is my prayer, that across the street from every brothel in every Canadian city will be a safe house, funded in part by Christians, teaching this vision for the common good. That "the truth" loves you, like the father you may never have had, like a real father should.
P.S. I think the future of the Canadian Christian church is in social enterprise. A social enterprise is a business run by a nonprofit with the goal of building up and encouraging and prospering its employees and that the work provided and accomplished, will fund the enterprise. These Social Enterpriseses could give residents of the Safe Houses, escaping prostitution, real work making marketable crafts and products that support their transition to supporters and participants of the greatest good; young families with children. Because that is what most of the women choosing to escape the Brothels want too, if only someone would help them get there. (Search #SEWF2013 on Twitter (Social Enterprise World Forum, in Calgary, in 2013, sponsored in part by the Alberta Government))
The truth is not a bully. The truth is the vision of Canada's first priority as a nation, is the giving of ourselves, to promote the happiness and prosperity, of young families with children. And the truth is the vision of our playgrounds filled with laughing playing children, because our nation teaches that sex should not be divorced from love and marriage, for the sake of the children.