Elected representatives adopt a motion on the sexual exploitation of minors

The National Assembly building is pictured in Quebec City on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (The Canadian Pressv /Jacques Boissinot)

The National Assembly has adopted a motion to denounce a publicly funded organization that promotes forms of sexual exploitation of minors, according to the Parti Québécois (PQ).

The PQ specifically targeted Projet d'intervention auprès des mineurs prostitués (PIAMP), a Montreal-based organization that received $350,000 in public funding last year.

PIAMP even received funding from the MNA for Mercier, Ruba Ghazal, the new co-spokesperson for Québec Solidaire.

The motion adopted calls on the government to cease all public funding of organizations that encourage forms of sexual exploitation of minors.

All parties voted in favour, with 100 MNAs present at the time of the vote. Only independent MNA Youri Chassin abstained.

The PIAMP's mission is “to listen to, support and accompany any person between the ages of 12 and 25 who exchanges or is likely to exchange sexual services for any form of remuneration,” according to its website.

The PQ has criticized the organization for offering “legal sexting” workshops.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 4, 2024.