Canada's prostitution laws: How would you like to see the court rule?

Terri-Jean Bedford, left, and Valerie Scott, shown in 2009, along with a third woman, launched a constitutional challenge of Canada's anti-prostitution laws. (Michael Turschic/CBC)

A landmark case that could change prostitution laws across the country begins Monday in Toronto.

Ontario's Appeal Court will hear arguments in the government's appeal of a ruling last year, when Ontario Justice Susan Himel struck down three key anti-prostitution laws. Himel argued that the law made practicing prostitution more dangerous.

While prostitution itself is technically legal, there are laws against nearly every activity associated with it.

Advocates for the safety of sex workers say the three laws make the work more dangerous in specific ways:

• Laws against keeping a common bawdy house prevent them from working indoors, where it's safer.
  
  
• Laws against communicating for the purposes of prostitution prevent them from taking time to talk to a potential client to assess the risk they pose.
  
  
• Laws against living on the avails of prostitution prevent them from hiring bodyguards.

At the time of Himel's decision, the Ontario attorney general's office released a statement in defence of Canada's laws.

"Ontario intervened and argued that the prostitution provisions of the Criminal Code are constitutional and valid and designed to prevent individuals, and particularly young people, from being drawn into prostitution, to protect our communities from the negative impacts of street prostitution and to ensure that those who control, coerce or abuse prostitutes are held accountable for their actions," the statement said.

How do you want the Ontario Appeal Court to rule? Let us know in the comments below.

Related: Canada's prostitution laws: Did a judge make the right call?



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