The Ontario government is still trying to determine if Craigslist has complied with a request to remove prostitution-related ads from its Canadian websites.
The federal and Ontario governments expressed cautious optimism on the weekend when it appeared Craigslist had removed the erotic services section from its Canadian websites.
However, a couple of mouse clicks quickly reveal that classified ads for prostitutes are still posted on Craigslist for Canadian cities, although without the sexually explicit pictures previously offered.
Ontario Attorney General Chris Bentley first wrote the San Francisco-based online company in September requesting Craigslist remove the prostitution ads as it did in the United States.
The federal government and several other provinces subsequently joined Ontario’s fight and wrote Craigslist demanding the ads be removed.
A spokesman for Bentley said the province has been trying to get in contact with Craigslist since Saturday to determine exactly what the company has done with its Canadian sites.
Spokesman Nauman Khan said it appears Craigslist has not gone as far in Canada as it did in the U.S. to remove the prostitution ads.
Ottawa has said it’s concerned the Craigslist ads make it easier for criminals who engage in human trafficking and pimping out children as prostitutes.
Ontario NDP justice critic Peter Kormos said the Craigslist situation shows how “untamable” the internet can be and how prevalent prostitution is in our society.
The federal government needs to introduce a regulation to make the Internet Service Provider responsible for any ads depicting underage girls being advertised for sexual purposes, Kormos says.
Craigslist has not responded to requests over several days for comment.
