TORONTO - Ontario's highest court will rule Thursday whether Canada's prostitution laws will stay in place pending an appeal of a landmark ruling.
Laws against keeping a common bawdy house, communicating for the purposes of prostitution and living on the avails of the trade were struck down in September.
The Ontario Superior Court judgment, however, was subject to a temporary stay, during which the laws remain in place.
The federal and provincial governments are pleading with the court to extend the stay until a proper appeal can be heard.
Court of Appeal for Ontario Justice Marc Rosenberg heard arguments last week and reserved his decision.
The court has indicated Rosenberg's decision will come Thursday at 11 a.m.
Lawyer Alan Young, who successfully argued in the lower court to have the laws struck down, has said given the judge's ruling that the laws contribute to the harm faced by prostitutes, it is "ethically problematic" to put a stay in place.
The federal government has argued that if the stay is not granted Canada will be plunged into a "social experiment unprecedented in this country."
In documents filed with the court, the federal government listed a litany of "likely" scenarios should judge Susan Himel's ruling come into effect.
Removing the bawdy house law would likely lead to crimes such as human trafficking, prostitution of minors, extortion and assault going undetected, Ottawa argues.
The Ontario government's arguments echo Ottawa's.
More prostitutes will likely be exploited by pimps, police would be forced to "abandon all ongoing investigations" and doing away with the laws will "likely encourage the movement of prostitutes to Ontario from other jurisdictions," the government adds.
Sex-trade workers say removing the laws will allow them to work indoors, hire bodyguards and communicate with potential clients to determine if they would pose a threat.
A group of sex-trade workers in British Columbia has also launched a challenge of Canada's prostitution laws.
