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Tara Teng addresses Members of Parliament and Senators

On December 6, the Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Honourable Bruce Stanton, and MP Joy Smith hosted a reception for Tara Teng, Miss Canada 2011. Teng had the opportunity to address the assembled Members of Parliament and Senators on the widespread crime of human trafficking and what they can do to combat it.

Teng is a fourth-year student at Trinity Western University, currently attending its Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa As part of the Laurentian Leadership Program, Teng is interning with MP Joy Smith’s office. MP Smith is a well-known advocate against human trafficking. Teng has spent the semester working alongside MP Smith to promote awareness, to highlight the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, and to promote Bill C-310.

“Canada has a real opportunity to be a global leader in the fight to end human trafficking and exploitation of women and children,” said Teng. “It won’t be easy, it will take incredible commitment, but human lives are not meant to be bought and sold, so we must do whatever it takes until human trafficking is eradicated from our cities, our nation and our world.”

“It has truly been a pleasure to have Tara interning in my office,” said MP Joy Smith. “As Miss Canada, she has been such a strong voice among her generation and all Canadians for the abolition of human trafficking. During her internship, she often went above and beyond to assist me in moving forward anti-human trafficking legislation and policy.”

“Tara’s internship experience is a great example of the best of our program,” said Janet Epp Buckingham, Director of the Laurentian Leadership Centre. “Tara added an insider experience of public policy to her passion for advocacy on human trafficking. And MP Smith had the benefit of a passionate advocate in her office for a semester. Both benefited.”

To learn more about Tara Teng’s activities, read her blogs at www.impact.twu.ca and www.tarateng.wordpress.com.