According to a July 31 news release from the territory’s government, the Yellowknife Airport (YZF) has partnered with Not In My City, an organization launched in 2017 in a bid to raise awareness of — and fight against — human trafficking in Canada.
By signing on, the YZF joins “a growing network of airports across the country that are helping raise awareness, increase vigilance, and support survivors.”
Through the partnership, staff at YZF receive “specialized training” on recognizing and responding to signs of human trafficking. It will also mean the launch of “awareness campaigns” at the airport, “encouraging everyone to be informed and empowered.”
Human trafficking “thrives in silence,” but a collaborative effort will aid in the battle against it, states the release.
N.W.T. Infrastructure Minister Vince McKay called it “a crime that hides in plain sight.”
“Through this partnership … the Yellowknife Airport is sending a clear message: exploitation will not be tolerated here,” said McKay in a statement. “I commend YZF staff for their leadership, their commitment to awareness and training, and for helping create a safer and more compassionate space for all travellers.”
Not In My City was formed by Canadian country music performer and songwriter Paul Brandt. In his own statement, Brandt said airports “are becoming strong allies in the fight against human trafficking.”
“With more and more airports joining this movement, we’re seeing a growing commitment across the country to protect those at risk and raise public awareness,” said Brandt. “Yellowknife Airport’s partnership builds on this momentum, demonstrating the critical role transportation hubs can play in disrupting trafficking and standing up for those whose safety is at risk.”
According to the release, human trafficking is “one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada.” It notes that the majority of victims are under 25, and that more than half are Indigenous.
Not In My City’s other “transportation allies” include airports in Toronto, Edmonton, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Red Deer, Calgary and Regina.
According to a Government of Canada information page, there were more than 4,500 incidents of human trafficking reported to police forces in Canada between 2013 and 2023. Of those, 93 per cent of victims were women and girls, 23 per cent were 17 or younger, and 91 per cent were trafficked by someone they knew.
Of those accused of human trafficking, 82 per cent were men.
It notes that human trafficking is “often described as a modern-day form of slavery.”
“It involves the recruitment, transportation, harbouring and/or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person in order to exploit that person, typically through sexual exploitation or forced labour,” it states.
It goes on to note that human trafficking is an offence under both the Criminal Code and the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. However, the extent of human trafficking in Canada and around the world remains “difficult to assess due to the hidden nature of the crime, the reluctance of victims and witnesses to come forward … and the difficulty of identifying victims.”
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