CALGARY -- Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Monte Solberg delivered today on a commitment to victims of human trafficking, in the wake of a study by The Future Group several weeks ago which singled out Canada for failing to meet its international obligations to protect victims.

"Minister Solberg has kept his promise to victims of human trafficking to make the immigration system more responsive to their needs," said Shuvaloy Majumdar, Executive Director of The Future Group, "This is a big step forward for victims being exploited in Canada."

In March 2006, The Future Group's 40-page study entitled "Falling Short of the Mark" gave Canada a failing grade for failing to provide temporary residence to victims to recover from their ordeals, and a lack of even basic medical services to them. The study received national and international coverage. Minister Solberg responded at the time, telling Reuters, "We'll see what we can do to begin to fix the system so we're more responsive to these victims."

The new measures announced today by Citizenship and Immigration Canada which are effective immediately, will go a long way to begin addressing Canada's treatment of victims of human trafficking, as well as provide an additional tool for law enforcement to offer victims assistance.

"Our research shows that countries that protect victims of human trafficking are more successful in prosecuting traffickers, who are often involved in organized crime," said Majumdar.

Canada's poor record had likely put its standing in the annual U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report in jeopardy, set to be released in June 2006. The new measures announced today by Minister Solberg help put Canada back on track with Australia, the European Union and the United States.

The Future Group is a leading Canadian non-partisan, non-governmental organization founded in 2000 that specializes in combating human trafficking and has worked with victims in Southeast Asia and West Africa.

For more information, please contact:
Shuvaloy Majumdar
Executive Director, The Future Group
+1 (403) 608-4428
smajumdar@thefuturegroup.org