B.C. warns schools about strip club recruiters

The B.C. government is warning Canadian post-secondary campuses aboutadult entertainment businesses trying to recruit students as strippers by offering to pay their tuition.

Naomi Yamamoto, B.C.s Advanced Education Minister, has sent a letter warning the schools to keep an eye out for recruiters who may attempt to set up booths at post-secondary job fairs across Canada this fall.

"Students, who often feel new stresses due to new living environments and managing their own affairs for the first time, may be tempted by these monetary inducements," Yamamoto wrote.

'We just don't want them aggressively recruiting on our campuses.' B.C. Advanced Education Minister Naomi Yamamoto

"Many initiatives are in place to ensure students have access to our province's world class institutions. It should not be necessary for students to submit themselves to the risks potentially involved in working in the adult entertainment business."

She said in her letter that her information comes from a series of news stories out of Windsor, Ont. about the trend occurring at some of the city's campuses.

"What we're not doing is telling students they can't pursue job opportunities or career opportunities in the adult entertainment business. We're saying we just don't want them aggressively recruiting on our campuses."

She also noted in her letter that during the spring, the sex industry suggested it would recruit near Vancouver public schools.

High schools also targeted

Tim Lambrinos, the executive director of the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada, has said in recent interviews that the industry will be looking for potential employees at public high schools.

Lambrinos said recruitment was necessary because a new federal bill that aims to stem human trafficking by preventing bars, strip clubs and escort services from hiring foreign workers as exotic dancers has resulted in a labour shortage for the adult entertainment business.

At the time, Vancouver school board officials put out the message that public educational facilities are not an appropriate venue to recruit adult entertainment industry workers.

Leopard's Lounge and Broil Strip Club in Windsor has recently stepped up its campaign to hire post-secondary students, but its general manager said the advertising was done solely through social media such as Facebook and traditional media.

"We don't go on job fairs, we certainly don't go on campus with fliers," Barry Maroon said in an interview.

Maroon said he offers student dancers around $1,700 each semester for tuition, but in exchange, they must maintain a B average in school.

The University of B.C. said it received the government's letter, but so far, it has not received any applications from the adult entertainment business about setting up booths at its career fair in September