moved for leave to introduce Bill C-202, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (controlling or coercive conduct).
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to reintroduce my bill to make coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate partner relationships a criminal offence. This new offence would allow victims of coercive and controlling violence to get desperately needed help and would allow earlier interventions in problematic relationships rather than having to wait for physical violence to occur.
During this pandemic, we have heard reports from police and frontline service providers that domestic violence calls for assistance spiked by more than 30%, an alarming intensification of what was already a serious problem in the country.
In the last Parliament, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights studied this issue, and all-party support resulted in a unanimous report, calling on the House to take action within a year, either on my bill or a similar government bill.
I thank the member for Port Moody—Coquitlam for seconding the reintroduction of my bill today.
Addressing the issue of coercive and controlling violence is not a matter of partisanship. It is a necessary step toward addressing the shadow pandemic of domestic violence that has hit women and families so hard during this pandemic.
I urge all members to support quick action on this challenging problem that will literally save lives.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)