The Gathering Place
Slavery in Canada
By Bruce J. Clemenger
any buying and selling of human life is an affront to the Christian
world view – and to the principles all Canadians share
Few of us can imagine being human and being traf- ficked: finding ourselves powerless and treated as ob- jects, perhaps with our legal identities stolen, traded and used by others for mere economic gain.
This modern-day form of slavery is difficult to comprehend but there are many people who have been taken
or lured into a vortex of promises for a better life only to
find abuse, intimidation, bullying and despair. And let’s not
understand this issue blindly: it is most often male violence
against and the exploitation of women and children. It is
hideous and an abomination in the sight of God, the Father
of us all.
Reducing a person to an economic commodity violates
the core Judeo-Christian affirmation of the dignity of being
made in the image of God. Evangelicals agree with many
others that human dignity is grounded in the belief that God
created us in His image. Our worth is not contingent – rather
it is inviolable, ours by virtue of being created and loved by
God. Our response is to affirm the dignity of all, to respect
others as image-bearers of God and to love our neighbours
as ourselves.
It was the repugnance of commodifying life that
prompted the federal government to ban surrogacy and the
sale of human gametes and human embryos. In its report to
Parliament, the Standing Committee on Health (reviewing
draft legislation on assisted human reproduction) wrote:
It is contrary to our thinking to treat human beings or
human material as commodities that can be regarded in
terms of their economic value rather than their intrinsic
worth. In particular, we feel that children can never be
objects to be acquired or exchanged. Women and men need
to know that their bodies and their reproductive material
are not for sale or barter. The Committee does not support
any elements of trading, exchanging, buying or selling of
Together for influence, impact and identity
The evangelical Fellowship of Canada is the national association of
evangelicals, gathered together for influence, impact and identity in ministry
and public witness. since 1964 the eFC has provided a national forum for
evangelicals and a constructive voice for biblical principles in life and society.
Visit us at www.evangelicalfellowship.ca.
human reproductive materials ... We want to ensure that
the legislation will prevent the commodification of children, women’s bodies, human reproductive material, and
reproduction.
Societal norms are reflected in our common understandings and practices and in our laws and public policies. Section 7 of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms
our right to life, liberty and security of the person. These
rights cannot be denied if doing so would breach “principles
of fundamental justice.” These principles are not listed nor
are they defined. They are, however, those norms that undergird our life together, those principles upon which we
have found consensus. They are the building blocks of our
common life together.
The basic shared principles of Canadian society then –
and not only our Christian world view – reject outright the
commodification of human life. That something is “contrary
to our thinking” and absolutely rejected is evidence that the
principle at issue is a societal norm: a commonly accepted
standard that frames our ethics and public standards.
The kind of problem that often follows is how to recognize, apply and enforce this societal norm. Our rejection
of the commodification of the human person surfaces in a
variety of ways in Canadian legislation – from laws governing prostitution to laws that prohibit the patenting of human
life. It’s time we give equal attention to human trafficking in
our own backyard and around the world.
The tragic stories of human trafficking require a response. Part of our response includes looking at our laws
and practices and ensuring that we have the appropriate
legal protections in place to ensure Canadian identity continues to include intrinsic respect of the dignity of all persons.
At The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, we will continue
to uphold and defend this inviolable right applied across all
stages of life – from conception through childhood, youth,
adulthood and old age – for all are made in the image of
God. This inviolable right must not only be recognized in
Canadian law but also applied and enforced for the protection of the most vulnerable people. Human trafficking demands a principled and right response.
Bruce J. Clemenger is the president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
