TORONTO - The Ontario government is looking for new ways to get the attention of Craigslist after the American company ignored repeated requests to remove prostitution ads from its websites.
Ontario first wrote to Craigslist in September, shortly after the San Francisco-based company bowed to pressure from several U.S. states and removed the prostitution ads south of the border.
Several other provinces and the federal government subsequently joined Ontario's efforts and made the same request of Craigslist.
However, so far Craigslist has done nothing other than to request a meeting with Ontario officials, allowing hundreds of ads for hookers to be posted on its Canadian sites every day.
A clearly frustrated Ontario Attorney General Chris Bentley says he sees no reason why Craigslist hasn't already removed the ads in Canada, something he feels they could do overnight.
Bentley says the province "will have to look for ways of getting their attention in a more creative way." He wouldn't elaborate.
He says Craigslist took action in the United States that has the effect of protecting young people and children, and they should take the same step in Canada.
