Bill C-225

An Act to amend the Criminal Code

This enactment amends the Criminal Code in order to:
(a) create a new specific offence of murder in the first degree if the murder is committed against an intimate partner in the context of a pattern of coercive or controlling conduct;
(b) provide that, if an offender commits manslaughter against their intimate partner while engaging in, or after having engaged in, a pattern of coercive or controlling conduct, the court must consider whether to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life on the offender and, if that sentence is imposed, an adult offender is ineligible for parole for 10 to 25 years;
(c) create new offences in respect of included offences in which violence is used, threatened or attempted against an intimate partner; and
(d) increase the detention period of things seized under section 490 of the Act from three months to 180 days.

Criminal Code

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-225, An Act to amend the Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people of Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, but today I also rise on behalf of all Canadians, as this bill would make the most substantive changes on the subject of intimate partner violence in history.

Intimate partner violence is an insidious crime that often occurs behind closed doors. It affects all socio-economic groups and is vastly under-reported. Most homicides involve an intimate partner. For far too long, we as parliamentarians have sat idle.

This bill is a monumental change. First, it would create the unique offence of assault of an intimate partner, harassment of an intimate partner, and so on. Second, it would create a presumption that intimate partner violence that results in murder is first-degree murder. Third, it would create a mechanism by which a judge can order somebody into custody for a seven-day risk assessment in order to protect the intimate partner. Last, it would make a new stream for evidence to be streamlined and for the detention of evidence to be considered in a more appropriate way.

I ask that the House streamline the passing of this bill as quickly as possible. We have seen, far too often, examples like that of Bailey McCourt, which happened just a couple of hours from me. Intimate partner violence has gone on for far too long. We have sat idle for far too long. This is about giving voices to the voiceless, names to the nameless and faces to the faceless.

Let us pass this bill right away.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)