A Saskatchewan court has convicted two men of human trafficking after a lengthy trial that included the unusual involvement of two provincial politicians who helped a Bangladeshi woman escape exploitative working and living conditions.
Convictions, verdict and court findings
On Aug. 7, the Court of King’s Bench found both defendants guilty of human trafficking. One man, aged 44, was also convicted on three counts of sexual assault. The court heard the complainant, a Bangladeshi national whose identity is protected under a publication ban, had been forced to work long hours in rural restaurants for little to no pay and was kept in what the judge described as “squalid” conditions.
"I do not have any reasonable doubt about the guilt of either," Judge Miguel Martinez wrote in the decision.
The trial ran nearly a year and a half and drew significant attention in Saskatchewan because two MLAs — Doug Steele and the now-retired Hugh Nerlien — played central roles in reaching and ultimately helping remove the woman from the situation after she reached out for help.
How elected representatives became involved
According to testimony reported during the proceedings, the complainant first contacted the constituency office of Doug Steele, a Saskatchewan Party MLA and grain farmer, in 2022. Steele told the court he had met the woman after noticing her behaviour while she worked at a local diner he frequented. He said he left a business card with the woman and encouraged her to contact the office if she had difficulties.
Steele later testified about feeling an obligation to act when the woman sought help. "This was outside the kind of case we usually deal with," he said in court during earlier testimony, according to media reports of the hearing.
When the complainant was moved by her alleged employers to another restaurant, Steele recruited Hugh Nerlien, also an MLA, to make contact. Nerlien visited the restaurant and — in what he described in court as a clandestine gesture — handed the woman a printed list of social service contacts and his business card.
"Clandestinely, I passed the note to her with my business card," Nerlien testified.
That covert assistance was a pivotal part of the chain of events that allowed the woman to access help and ultimately prompted criminal charges against the two men.
Allegations presented at trial
The Crown presented evidence that the two accused maintained control over the woman’s work and living conditions. The court found they had compelled her to work extended hours in rural dining establishments for minimal or no pay, and held her in degrading living arrangements. The 44-year-old defendant was also found to have coerced the woman into sexual activity on multiple occasions.
Details about the victim’s treatment and the trial were reported under the restrictions of the publication ban, which preserves the complainant’s identity and certain specifics of evidence in human trafficking and sexual-assault matters.
Local reaction and wider context
The involvement of two sitting MLAs in the rescue is highly unusual. Elected representatives typically refer constituent concerns to police or social services, but testimony in this case showed both men took direct and covert steps to reach the complainant in person — a hands-on approach that played a role in bringing the matter to authorities.
Human trafficking prosecutions in Saskatchewan and across Canada are rare and complex, often involving long investigations and extensive support measures for victims whose identities must be protected in court. This case underscores those complexities and the ways community members and public officials can be drawn into attempts to assist vulnerable people.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Accused | Two men, aged 55 and 44 |
| Convictions | Both convicted of human trafficking; 44-year-old also convicted of three counts of sexual assault |
| Judge | Miguel Martinez |
| Victim | Bangladeshi national (identity protected by publication ban) |
What happens next
The sentencing phase has not been detailed in the publicly available reports of the decision. Sentencing in human trafficking cases typically follows periods for victim impact statements and pre-sentencing reports, and can involve considerations of restitution and parole conditions.
- Two men convicted of human trafficking by Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench.
- One defendant also convicted of three sexual assault counts.
- Two MLAs, Doug Steele and Hugh Nerlien, took clandestine steps to help the complainant contact services and escape exploitation.
The case has prompted discussion about how elected officials and community members can safely assist vulnerable people who reach out for help, and about the supports required to protect and assist victims of labour and sexual exploitation in rural settings. The publication ban remains in force to protect the identity of the complainant.
— Reporting from Saskatchewan.
