HUMAN TRAFFICKING: the crime of the millenium-COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU!!!

PICTURED:

1) Donald VAZ (in car - person of interest we would like to talk to about my daughter's disappearance - this is the person who took Jessie from Canada to the USA and ultimately left her in Las Vegas in the hands of Yvonne Hubrechtsen & Peter Todd).

2) Benjamin PERRIN (a professor at the University of British Columbia and a Human Trafficking expert).

3) Chantel Brittnay ROBERTSON, 20 (missing woman found murdered - from Edmonton, Alberta CANADA).

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I just now came across the following article (Police seek help finding missing escort) in the Edmonton Journal, and Jim & I could not help but notice that there is a resemblance to Jessie and since I know that Edmonton is where the VAZ's have been known to live and we know that they are somehow or the other connected to Jessie...and Edmonton is where this woman went missing from, it sure got me worried.
Now there have been a lot of articles in the news lately about human trafficking, plus Professor Benjamin Perrin (http://www.law.ubc.ca/faculty/Perrin/index.html) from the University of British Columbia thinks that Jessie's case is, in his opinion, an OPEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE. Professor Perrin is a human trafficking expert.
There are also some people that have been giving me info and direction in this 'human trafficking' thing...who are also experts in this field and who also believe Jessie is a human trafficking case. Who is to say this woman is not the latest victim of this crime? What do you think...another missing woman &/or another human trafficking victim?

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=76c343a5-ac1e-4750-be6a-d73ae5b5e28b
ARTICLE:

Police seek help finding missing escort

Chantel Brittnay Robertson, 20, has been missing since early Saturday morning

Emily Senger, edmontonjournal.com

Published: June 29, 2008 at 10:40 pm

EDMONTON - The weekend disappearance of a woman who works for an escort agency is being investigated by city police, and has been brought to the attention of a special RCMP task force.

Chantel Brittnay Robertson, 20, was last seen outside a client's home Saturday at about 2:30 a.m.

No one has seen or heard from her since -- an absence that is out of character for a woman who usually stays in close contact with her family.

Edmonton Police are asking for the public's help locating Robertson, who missed work on Sunday. They have spoken with the residents in the house she last visited, hospitals, and Robertson's family members.

She is 5 foot 2 inches tall with dirty-blond shoulder-length hair. When she went to her client's home, at 98th Street and 80th Avenue, she was wearing black jeans, black boots and a white shirt. She was also carrying a purse.

Project Kare, the task force charged with investigating the disappearances and deaths of at least 70 Albertans who led high-risk lifestyles, has been notified.

esenger@thejournal.canwest.com
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Escort found buried in yard - Woman didn't return from visit to client Emily Senger, Edmonton Journal Staff WriterPublished: July 1, 2008 at 12:16 pm

EDMONTON - While the rest of the neighbourhood slept, family and friends of Chantel Brittnay Robertson gathered by yellow police tape early this morning to hold a vigil at the spot where the young escort was last seen alive 72 hours earlier earlier.

On Saturday at 2:15 a.m. Robertson, 20, was dropped off at the brick bungalow in Ritchie to meet a client.

Police discovered her body buried in the yard of the same house three days later.

At 2:15 a.m. today, about 20 people stood in front of 9853 80th Avenue holding flowers, photos and candles, which they placed against a tree.

Robertson's dad, Michael Robertson, passed out white candles.

As the candles flickered in the dark, Michael Robertson stood in the light of a white police cruiser idling a few feet away and spoke of the person his daughter was and how he hoped she would be remembered.

"What she did didn't make her the worst person," he said, his voice wavering.

His daughter was accepting and loving, he said, and was willing to give everyone a chance to be themselves.

"She didn't discriminate. She didn't care if you were different," he said.

This was echoed by her younger brother Dakota, 19.

Dakota said when he decided to come out, Robertson was the first person he told, because he knew she would accept him, no matter what.

"My sister made me the person I am today, caring, considerate," Dakota said. "She refused to judge people."

Dakota said his older sister loved to joke around and tease him. While she was tiny - 5 foot 2 - she was tough. As the popular kid in school, Dakota said his sister would often act as his protector. She wouldn't stand for anyone picking on her little brother.

"She was one of the toughest people I knew," Dakota said. "The day I was able to pin her was the proudest day of my life....

"She meant everything to me."

Robertson loved travelling, snowboarding and going on road trips with friends, said her friend Ivanka Arar.

She also had a passion for white tigers, for their majesty and beauty.

"She had planned to get a tattoo of a white tiger, but unfortunately she didn't get it," said Arar.

Robertson's father thanked both the police and the many friends who helped them in their search for his daughter.

"I'd like to thank those of you who worked with police to bring this to a swift, quick end," he said. "It's not what we wanted, but at least it's not going to go unsolved down the road."

After his speech, Michael began shaking hands with everyone who had gathered on the pavement.

"I'm sorry I don't know you all, but before you leave, I'd like to meet you and see the kind of friends she had," he said.

Matthew Todd Barrett, 24, was charged Monday with first-degree murder and offering an indignity to a body.

Robertson is the 13th victim of homicide in Edmonton this year.

esenger@thejournal.canwest.com

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Conference on Human Trafficking in Canada - March 20, 2006 (how ironic this was 9 days before Jessie disappeared): http://mils.mcgill.ca/resources/Human_Trafficking.pdf

CONFERENCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN CANADA:
Benjamin Perrin, Executive Director, The Future Group,
Sgt. Dan Ste-Marie, RCMP (Ottawa), and
Suzie Raymond, RCMP (Montreal).
March 20, 2006
Faculty of Law, Room 201 NCDH
Sponsored by the McGill International Law Society

Summary

Sergeant Dan Ste-Marie started the Conference by offering a definition of human trafficking: the movement of individuals for the purposes of exploitation. His comments addressed the global nature of human trafficking and the problems that Canadian authorities have encountered in trying to combat the phenomenon and help the victims. Following are some excerpts from his talk:

Next, Suzie Raymond from the RCMP in Montréal discussed the centrality of education and raising awareness in order to effectively combat this problem, both in terms of law enforcement officials as well as the general public.

Finally, Benjamin Perrin, Executive Director of the Future Group addressed a report issued recently by the Future Group that gave Canada a failing grade on its response to the issue of Human Trafficking. The failing grade was traced primarily to the lack of status granted to possible victims of trafficking, and the lack of federal funding dedicated to this group. Benjamin highlighted two issues that must be considered in any legal regime to help the victims: restoration of victims and support of victims. He drew from the special laws pertaining to human trafficking victims which exist in the United States and Australia to demonstrate ways in which Canada could improve its approach.

Sgt. Dan Ste-Marie, RCMP (Ottawa)
Statistics:
- Estimates on the number of people trafficked each year range between 800,000 and 4 million.
- The industry is said to be worth 11-12 billion dollars – this puts it on par with trafficking in guns and drugs.
- Of the victims of human trafficking, 80% are women and 50% of those are under 18.
- Women in the sex trade: girls often have to service between 5 and 7 hundred men before paying off the debt they owe.
- Just in Toronto 100 girls are being supplied yearly to the sex trade. These girls will produce approximately 5 million dollars in profits
- Health concerns: Of 12 Korean girls who were found at the border in the process of being smuggled into the country as part of the sex trade, 80% had tuberculosis.
- Of those being trafficked into Canada, most are from Asia-Pacific and, in particular, the Fujan region of China.

Nature of the Industry:
- This is an extremely clandestine industry. A trafficking victim’s journey from the point of origin into North America can take up to two years and involve stops up to eight different countries.
- He gave the example of one route: Fujan (China) – Vietnam – Egypt – South America – Europe – Mexico – United States.
- Trafficking is a violent business. Subjects can be forced to perform sex acts, and food and drink are often kept from them. Creates a culture of fear that makes victims unlikely to go to authorities.
- Victims are often threatened with the safety of their family back home if they refuse to perform what is asked of them.

Problems for Law Enforcement Agencies:
- Question: how do you determine if someone is really a trafficking victim? Sometimes they come in on a tourist visa and then are forced into work. Secondly, their documents are often taken away from them – this is a tool of control used by the traffickers. These factors make identifying and helping victims extremely complicated.
- Because of the decentralized nature of the industry, the long travel times and the many points of transit it is extremely difficult to backtrack and find way up the chain to the head of the operations.
- Furthermore, you have delays in working with authorities in the countries of origin. Sometimes the officials themselves are involved, and in some countries the framework to facilitate such investigations does not exist (no wiretapping laws for example).
- Another problem: cultural distrust of law enforcement officials.
- Human trafficking investigations – can take up to a year or a year and a half, up to four years by the time it makes it to court.
- There exists no internationally agreed upon definition of human trafficking.
- There is very little deterrence for traffickers – the sentences handed out are often very light.
- NGOs can be hesitant to work with the police. Sergeant Dan Ste-Marie argues that the RCMP must rebuild this trust so that society can deal better with the victims.
- Another factor complicating investigations is that some victims are arrested by their own governments upon being sent back. This makes them reluctant to cooperate with authorities in Canada.
- Stockholm syndrome – victims have psychological and emotional dependency on their traffickers, identify with them more than anything else.
- Most victims suffer post-traumatic stress syndrome. This can distort and taint the evidence that they give, making prosecution more difficult.
- The language barrier. The RCMP does have interpreters, but getting them at the right time can be difficult.

The Canadian Situation Today:
- There is no federal money to help victims of traffickers. RCMP has been the only body that has been trying to help by making connections with civil society in this area. But its resources are limited and much more needs to be done.
- Canada has a Human Trafficking Centre designed to help prepare RCMP and other police officers for dealing with these issues so that everyone is on the same page. Developing protocols that can be followed by local police forces, as these organizations are usually the first to come into contact with the trafficking victims.
- Highlights that not many people know about presence and effects of human trafficking in Canada. Education is essential
- The government passed Bill C-49 late last year. It incorporates specific trafficking offenses into the criminal code. Gives local police more involvement.

Suzie Raymond, RCMP (Montreal)
- Human trafficking has only recently surfaced on the public consciousness – a relatively new thing to think about and discuss, and a new thing to our criminal code.
- One of the central problems is how to associate with and protect the witnesses and victims. Language is often a barrier to effective communication, and the victims can be distrustful of figures of government authority.
- To get a conviction the testimony of the victim is often essential. However, due to the issues highlighted above, getting the required evidence can be problematic.
- For a year now there has been a program in place to educate members of the RCMP and Customs and Immigration about the problem of human trafficking. This has been accompanied by efforts to educate the general public.
- Also helping sensitize the provincial and local police forces.
- Education of the general population, especially ethnic communities, is essential. This is demonstrated by the fact that the general population does not tend to look out for human trafficking in the way they do for drugs. Human trafficking has a very low profile in the public consciousness.
- So this is a long-term work. And there are not a lot of resources available.
- At the moment there are only two people for the region of Quebec dedicated to training and raising awareness on the human trafficking issue.
- Funding is also needed in terms of housing, feeding and clothing victims. Often when saved from the sex trade the women have no ‘normal’ clothing at all.
- Their housing needs to be secure as they may be in further trouble from their previous employers.
- We cannot close our eyes to this and say: “this is Canada, it does not happen.”
- Trafficking is not just about sexual slavery and prostitution. Can be working in a basement growing hydroponics – police find them and just assume they are illegal and have them deported, when in fact many may have been trafficked and forced to work there.
- Often times in other work the victims are forced to work extreme hours for very little pay. Although the sex trade is a part of it, trafficking affects men and women, adults and children.

Benjamin Perrin, Executive Director, The Future Group
- It must be remembered how different this industry is from other illegal trafficking industries, such as the drug trade. People are always on the lookout for drugs, they can be sniffed out by a dog. On the other hand there is no easy way to determine if someone has been trafficked.
- At the moment there still exist legal means for trafficking, an example being the exotic dancer visa that caused a political controversy recently. We have to close these avenues down if we hope to do better at combating trafficking.
- Canada still does not have a legal structure to allow a trafficking victim to stay in the country – have a humanitarian grounds bar from removal but you literally have to have a minister sign off on that.
- What was the reason for this study? The initiative was sparked by the news coverage of a massage parlor raid in Calgary in 2003. This was a wake up call to the Future Group, and the country, that human trafficking was an issue in Canada.
- Once the raid took place the women were deported.
- Started looking into the situation of these women. Found that Canada had ratified the UN Trafficking Protocol – however, this is not part of a human rights convention but part of a law enforcement treaty dealing with organized crime. This conceptual starting point has implications for how the problem is understood.
- When you deal with the problem of trafficking from the starting point of organized crime, it makes sense to let a victim remain in the country if they agree to cooperate with authorities.
- On the other hand, if you approach the problem of trafficking from a human rights standpoint, you may place a greater emphasis on the welfare of the victims.
- Articles 6-8 of the UN Trafficking Protocol deal with the protection of the victims but notice that in this protocol there are a lot of ‘mays’ and ‘should considers’ rather than ‘shalls’.
- Benjamin makes the point that the language here demands that governments textually consider what types of rights they will give to victims. The fact that Canadian legislation is silent on the matter may make room to challenge the government on its inaction in this area.

Benjamin highlighted two issues that must be considered in any legal regime to help the victims: restoration of victims and support of victims. He drew from the special laws pertaining to human trafficking victims which exist in the United States and Australia to demonstrate ways in which Canada could improve its approach:
- Restoration of victims: 1) special adjudication – United States has a council to that hears only cases dealing with human trafficking. Staged approach (as used in Australia):
1. Reflection period - 30 to 45 days victim stays in a shelter;
2. If they would be in danger upon return or if they cooperate with authorities they can get temporary residence. It is important to note that this test is less onerous than the one applied to refugee claims;
3. Possibility of permanent residence.
- Support of victims:
1. During the reflection period they are often granted some money for basic needs and counseling is also provided in an attempt to deal with the posttraumatic stress;
2. Australia provides vocational training for the victims as well.
- Benjamin highlights the efforts that have been made in the United States to integrate civil society into supporting the victims and combating trafficking. For example, legal aid clinics are aware of the special visa application for victims of trafficking.
- Issues of privacy – in Canada there have been cases where the victims name and story have been written in the judgments without a pseudonym – this is unacceptable, as it can put the victim and their family in further danger.
- Why did Canada get a failing grade?
1. There is no clear legal process for allowing victims to stay in the country, nor any government mandated reflection period;
2. There is no government funding for these victims – RCMP are diverted from the investigations to try and find medical care and housing for victims. They are forced to fill a leadership void in this context.
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Canada must act on human trafficking: U.S. report
Updated Thu. Jun. 5 2008 10:16 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

The U.S. State Department says Canada should be doing a lot more to mitigate human trafficking in the country.

The U.S. released its annual report "Trafficking In Persons" -- reviewing human trafficking laws in 170 countries covering a period from March 2007 to March 2008 on Wednesday.

Although the report recognizes that Canada meets the minimum standards to eliminate, identify and protect victims of human trafficking, it also says Canada needs to address the trafficking challenges associated with hosting the world at the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

University of British Columbia law professor and of one of Canada's leading experts in human trafficking Benjamin Perrin agrees Canada isn't doing enough in terms of law enforcement.

He says he is not surprised by the report's harsh recommendations for the Canadian government.

"Canada has been falling behind on combating human trafficking for quite a long time," Perrin told Canada AM from Quebec City on Thursday, adding that smuggling people is one of the most serious offences according to the criminal code.

In 2007, Canada did not convict a single person for the crime of human trafficking, and only four victims were granted federal protection. The report put into sharp focus that these numbers are not indicative of the country's problem.

"I think Canadians would demand more of our response to this serious transnational crime," Perrin said.

In 2004, the RCMP estimate about 600 people are trafficked to Canada for sexual exploitation each year, said Perrin. Another 1,500 to 2,200 are brought through the country on their way to the United States.

Perrin notes that human trafficking in Canada defies traditional stereotypes. He says it's not just women from Asia and Central and Eastern Europe brought here and exploited in the sex trade, but many cases he comes across relate to Canadian women and girls "for sale."

"We've really not followed up on action here," Perrin said. "The main reason for that appears to be that we are not putting the law enforcement resources into this across the country."

But positive discussions did come out of the report, says Perrin. For the first time the federal government focused on the threat of human trafficking at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

An influx of over a million visitors, typical of an international event like at the World Cup, the Olympics and even the Grand Prix auto race in Montreal, increases the demand for sex trade workers. The commercial void at big events creates ample opportunity for traffickers to make money by exploiting others, especially women. The UN estimates that the illegal industry brings in $32 billion globally.

Perrin applauds London's efforts to keep trafficking at bay for the 2012 Summer Games.

"They've been dealing with this risk for years now, and we've only just now gotten on this. So, we are really late to the game," Perrin said.

Roughly 2.5 million people worldwide are believed to be victims of human trafficking, most of whom are women and children.

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This is an interesting and scary reality about Human Trafficking (from the CTV interview with Benjamin Perrin)
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip57668#clip57668

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Here is some information about Donald Vaz:

Mercedes was Born · January 31, 1992
I was given birth to by Shelby Nicole Cameron ( my mother) and My Father Ted Myre,in Grey Nuns Hospital in room 72, weighing 4 pouunds, 7 ounces. I was 18 inches long and a Canadian citizen living in Mill Woods. Black and White.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Keegan Cameron was Born · September 29,1995
My brother Keegan came to this world in Edmonton, Alberta and in the Grey nuns Hospital, he is black and white, and his mother, Shelby Nicole Cameron and his Father, Donald Vaz.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Keeandre Vaz was born · January 27, 1997
My Brother Keeandre Cameron Vaz was bron in Edmonotn Alberta in Grey nuns hospital full term, his mother Shelby Cameron and his father Donald vaz. Another lovely addition to our family.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Shedon Vaz Past Away · January 10,1999
My Brother Shedon past away as a premature baby, we held his funeral at Hainstocks Funeral Home, it really made me realize what I lost and to not take your family or anyone for granted.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Mom got married! · April 27,2000
Mom Got married to a man named Scott Yates, she wanted a new beggining after Shedon's death so we relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada with new step dad.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Its Twins! · May 1,2000
Jayden Yates and Mekhi Yates, feternal twins, half black half white, Mother Shelby Nicole Yates and father Scott Bradford Yates, born premature at 1 pound a couple ounces, with a 95% chance of dieing, We took the risk and they are 8 today perfectly fine. THAT EXPERIENCE TAUGHT ME TO TAKE RISKS IT COULD TURN OUT FOR THE GOOD.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Grandpa Died. · Febuary 14,2001
Grandpa, Phillp Myre past away of a heart attack. I realized the memories I had with him is worth a life time.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Viva Las Vegas.. · September 2001
Grammie and Nannie moved to Vegas to be with us, It made me see that famnily will do anything for who they love.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Studio Days. · June 2002
I got to record all my songs and show al my poems i wrote at a studio (Kamp Wess Productions) for my singing and finnally got noticed. All my hard work was finnally paying off and i am finnally getting noticed. I won an audtion the same day at John Robert Powers and was going ot perform in California in front of thousands fo people.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Pets In The City:) · May 21, 2003
I started working at a local pet store called Pets In The City roughly on tropicana and fort apache in las vegas nevada. I voulunteered there for about three years bewfore i got to take my puppy home she is now 3 and lives with me. I became a lead groomer and main cashier at such a youing age.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Jevonte Yates was born · October 26,2003
Jevonte was a premature baby also he is my brother he was born at one pound also and almost died but there we went and took the rick again.. and he lived we love him so much he is our little survivpr, black and white father scott yates mother shelby yates.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Father Finds Real Dad. · October 23, 2004
My father is adopted and we decided to search for his father as he didnt even kn ow his name, we finnally found him and found that he is Tawl Lucious Ropss the lead guitarist from the funkadelics! he funk history. Im glad to call him my grandfather.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Divorce. · August 28, 2006
Mom diuvorced Step father Scott Yates, things wre not working out and she felt like she was better then how she was being treated so they divorced and we moved to the other side of the city.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Shaylynn Born! · March 31, 2007
My beautiful sister Shaylynn Meadow Myre was born. She is so cute and is finnally walking she is a miraclew my step mom and dad have been trying to have a kid for 15 years now and finally did after over 12 miscarrages.
God sent an angel.:) Father ted myre mother angela kenny.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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Hometonwn · April 1, 2007
Moved back to hometoen, Edmonoton Alberta. Decides it was time to go home. Whrere we belong.
Posted: Mar 05, 2008
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