Saint Anne Catholic Women’s League Human Trafficking Committee co-Chairs Anne Ashcroft and Donna Aldous carry the “Stop Human Trafficking” banner from the flag-raising ceremony at Saskatoon City Hall Feb. 22, 2025, to the Parktown Hotel for a round table discussion about the realities of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and practical ways to address the issue. (Photo by Kiply Lulan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
The Saint Anne Parish Catholic Women’s League (CWL) council and the Saskatoon Salvation Army joined together for an event to mark National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, with a flag-raising at Saskatoon City Hall, and a walk to Parktown Hotel for a program of information, strategies, and encouragement for ending the scourge of human slavery and sexual exploitation in our communities and our world.
Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon opened the event with a prayer:
Loving God, Creator, Father of all: We seek your divine protection for all who are exploited and enslaved; for those forced into labor, trafficked into slavery of any kind, and denied freedom.
We beseech you to release them from their chains. Grant them protection, safety, and empowerment. Restore their dignity and provide them a new beginning. Show us how we might end exploitation by addressing its causes. Help us reach out in support of victims and survivors of human trafficking. Make us instruments of your spirit for their liberation.
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, be our protector, strength, and guide. Grant us the courage, the fortitude, and ability to fight to end the scourge of human trafficking.
For this we pray through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit – God, forever and ever. Amen
President of the Diocese of Saskatoon CWL Council Marion Laroque and Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen follow the Stop Human Trafficking banner after a flag-raising at Saskatoon City Hall. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Flag-Raising Followed by Round Table Discussion
Dignitaries brought greetings and information presentations to the discussion event held after the flag-raising at Saskatoon City Hall, including representatives of government, police services, and the Salvation Army.
Procession from Saskatoon City Square to a public discussion about human trafficking held at the nearby Parktown Hotel in Saskatoon Feb. 22. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Martensville-Blairmore MLA Jamie Martens, Diocesan CWL President Marion Laroque, and Saint Anne CWL council human trafficking committee co-chairs Anne Ashcroft and Donna Aldous stand before an IWIN display ,which was set up at a Human Trafficking Awareness Day public event in Saskatoon Feb. 22. IWIN is a Calgary-based organization that prepares back-packs with emergency supplies for those escaping human trafficking, including in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Anne Ashcroft, co-chair of the Saint Anne Catholic Women’s League human trafficking committee was MC for the round table discussion held Feb. 22 at the Parktown Hotel in Saskatoon to mark National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Martensville-Blairmore MLA Jamie Martens (left) who serves as provincial government secretary, makes a presentation to Marion Laroque, President of the Saskatoon Diocesan Catholic Women’s League. This year, the government of Saskatchewan joined the federal and civic levels of government in declaring Feb. 22 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Saskatoon Southeast MLA Brittney Senger spoke about the need to increase government response to human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and violence against women. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Captain Derek Kerr, Executive Director of the Salvation Army at the Human Trafficking Awareness Day event Feb. 22. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Representatives of the human trafficking unit of the Saskatoon Police Service were on hand for the event on Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiplly Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Stephen Morgan, of the Salvation Army’s Correctional and Justice Services moderated the round table discussions that followed the flag-raising and march on Human Trafficking Awareness Day Feb. 22 in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski Catholic Saskatoon News)
Members of the Catholic Women’s League and other leaders in the community came together to reflect on ways to stop the scourge of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Round table discussions about how to raise awareness and address the scourge of human trafficking were held in Saskatoon Feb. 22. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
