Prostitution, the act of selling sex, has been called the "world's oldest profession." Indeed it may be, for it seems that as long as civilization has existed, there have been those that have been selling their sexual services for money. Why then, after all these years, has it not yet been legalized in some countries, and in this case, Canada?
             The sex trade, despite the efforts of many to destroy it, is alive and well in Canada and as the population grows, so does prostitution. Unfortunately, the state of prostitution in Canada today is detrimental to the safety and health of both the prostitutes and those that would make use of their services. The women are at constant risk of rape, murder, and the contracting of all sorts of sexually transmitted diseases, the most feared of these being the deadly AIDS virus.
             Prostitution cannot be stopped. As long as there is a demand there will be a supply; and logic, common sense, and past experience dictate that there is always a demand. Hence it is only logical for our government to look at this problem from a different perspective, not elimination but regulation. It will not just do to de-criminalize prostitution but to legalize and regulate it.
             Legalizing and regulating prostitution will not weaken the sex industry itself, but will weaken those that take advantage of the fact that it is illegal. Pimps as we know them today will become a thing of the past, and so will the rapes, murders, and beatings of the women who choose to work in this industry. Regulating it will also create a safer, healthier work environment for both those that are offering the services, and those that choose to pay for them. It is clear that this is the best solution to a 'problem' that the government has tried to eliminate for years but has been completely unsuccessful.
             The common misconception here in Canada is that prostitution is illegal. This is not true, prostitution ...