The 30th truck promoting the Know Human Trafficking Truck advertising campaign was launched at Mackie Transportation in Oshawa on December 3.
The trailer was donated by Mackie Transport and sponsored by the Ajax Pickering Board of Trade and members; QJS Cleaning Services, The Lions Clubs of Durham Region, Smurfit Westrock, and Elexicon.
Casandra Diamond, Founder of BridgeNorth Women’s Mentorship & Advocacy Services, a survivor and anti-trafficking expert, stated that “There are more victims than you think there are, and they are younger than you think they are. Many victims are being transported up and down the same roads this trailer will be on. I hope this sign will help someone to reach out for help and continue to educate the Durham community.”
Sara Mackie added: “At Mackie Transportation, we believe that our drivers play a unique and pivotal role in the fight against this global crime. Our drivers are the eyes and ears of the road, and they often find themselves in places where human trafficking can occur. This is why we’ve chosen to take a stand and educate not only our team but also the communities we serve. By doing so, we can help identify and work towards trying to end trafficking.”
The Province of Ontario accounts for 65 per cent of all police-reported human trafficking incidents in the country, with the Greater Toronto Area being identified as a “hotbed” for this crime.
Between 2019 and 2022, the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline has supported 2,170 victims from across the country.
There were over 65 attendees at the event, including 23 members from the Lion’s Clubs of Durham Region, Durham Regional Chair John Henry, Ajax Councillor Marilyn Crawford, Pieter Ciere Vice-President of Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers and Casandra Diamond, Founder of BridgeNorth Women’s Mentorship & Advocacy Services, a survivor and anti-trafficking expert.
The event, hosted by the Mackie family (Dean, Cindy, Sara, and Shawn Mackie), featured speeches from sponsors and dignitaries emphasizing the campaign’s importance and highlighting the need for public education on human trafficking.
The #KnowHumanTrafficking initiative is a campaign championed by the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada in partnership with the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers. Big Rig Wraps is supporting this campaign by wrapping transport trucks and sending them across Canada with anti-human trafficking messaging and the “International Sign of Help Me.”
For more information about sponsoring a truck contact Angela Baltkois 705-927-8809. Visit www.knowhumantrafficking.com to learn more about this campaign.