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OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada grappled Thursday with the constitutionality of Canada’s prostitution law, as demonstrators from both sides of the issue aired their views with colourful flair on its outdoor steps.

Federal lawyer Michael Morris argued that the Ontario Court of Appeal went too far last year when it struck down the Criminal Code ban on bawdy houses on the grounds that the law puts sex workers in danger by forcing them to work outside.

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“In the face of a complex social problem, uncertainty and contradicting social science evidence, we submit that the Ontario Court of Appeal erred,” Morris argued.

Lawyers for the province of Ontario also argued against any decriminalization.

Several justices made the point that prostitution itself is not in fact illegal, and raised questions about how that should affect many of the key activities related to it that are in fact banned under sections of the Criminal Code.