SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 316

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 23, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 316 - May/23/24
Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:52:08 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it was the Minister of Justice for Canada, and he actually said that on July 31, 2023. How many Ontario municipalities have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:52:24 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic, and I was quite clear in doing so in response to the Renfrew County inquest.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:52:32 p.m.
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Madam Chair, how many Ontario municipalities have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:52:40 p.m.
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Madam Chair, intimate partner violence is a critical crisis situation. It is an epidemic not just in Ontario, but also around the country. That is why we are targeting it through measures that relate to—
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The Deputy Chair
  • May/23/24 8:52:49 p.m.
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The hon. member.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:52:51 p.m.
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Madam Chair, is it not interesting that the minister says that, yet he also said that it is empirically unlikely that Canada is less safe? It is 94 municipalities. In Ontario, how many women were killed in a 30-week window between 2022 and 2023?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:53:09 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am encouraged by the member's passion for addressing domestic violence; it's got to be a passionate priority for all of us. I am discouraged by the fact that when we introduced legislation that would have things like a red flag law to take a gun away from an abusive spouse, the member voted against it.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:53:24 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it is very interesting that the minister brings up guns and does not want to answer the question. There was a man who killed a woman in front of a Calgary elementary school. He was under a no-contact order. What did he murder her with?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:53:38 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the weapons that are being used in terms of violence against women include guns. That is what we have heard at committee. That is why we implemented legislation to freeze handgun sales and to regulate the fact that red flag laws—
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:53:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the man who took the woman's life in front of her children in an elementary schoolyard was previously charged with domestic violence offences, released under a no-contact order and had active warrants against him. The minister wants to bring up guns. I will ask again: How was the woman murdered by a repeat offender who was out on warrants?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:54:15 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I would say again, because this is an issue that needs to be addressed, that guns and gangs relate to keeping people safe. When that member and her party vote against funding for guns and gangs, they are not keeping Canadians safe, nor Canadian women.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:54:30 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the man was first charged with a domestic violence offence in July 2023. He was released on bail on the condition that he have no contact with his estranged wife. He was charged with violating that release condition in September and again in November. He stabbed her. This is appalling to hear from the Minister of Justice when victims are watching. I go to the Minister to say this. This is a letter from the friends of Kristen French, who was murdered by Paul Bernardo. It states: Once again we are saddened and disappointed that the Government of Canada has added to the continued emotional trauma and victimization of the many people who have been affected by this man and his brutal crimes. To know that so much communication took place about the transfer and yet no one deemed it important enough to ensure that the minister was addressed personally speaks yet again to the disregard of victims in our Criminal Justice System. Since the minister did not make any public statement last week, which was Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, why has he not followed through on the Liberals' promise to review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:55:33 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I work in close collaboration with the Ombudsperson for victims and with victims groups around the country. I would say to the victims, including the French family, that my heart feels for them and for the loss they have experienced at the hands of a very heinous killer. That crime affected the entire nation and continues to affect the entire nation. I would also reiterate for the member opposite that decisions about parole and corrections and release are obviously governed at arm's length by the Parole Board of Canada and are also under the domain of the Minister of Public Safety.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:56:02 p.m.
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Madam Chair, how many years ago did he promise to enforce and to review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:56:12 p.m.
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Madam Chair, with respect to victims services and victims needs, we are attentive to them and are constantly prioritizing them, and that is—
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The Deputy Chair
  • May/23/24 8:56:19 p.m.
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The hon. member.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:56:21 p.m.
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Madam Chair, in 2020 that was promised, and it has never been done. There is no authority specifically dedicated to ensuring the implementation of the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. Victims must rely on the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime. Does he think that is fair for victims?
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Hon. Arif Virani
  • May/23/24 8:56:38 p.m.
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Madam Chair, my opinion of victims is demonstrated through the prioritization of legislation we put through the House. I would include, in that regard, the sex offender registry, which was struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada. We worked with Pace successfully through the House and through the Senate to reinstall the sex offender registry to keep women in particular safe from—
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The Deputy Chair
  • May/23/24 8:56:54 p.m.
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The hon. member.
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Ms. Michelle Ferreri
  • May/23/24 8:56:56 p.m.
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Madam Chair, they were called to do a review in 2020 on behalf of victims everywhere. What a shameful representation from the Minister of Justice that this Canadian Victims Bill of Rights has never been reviewed. I ask the minister today, he is the Minister of Justice, to name the four issues that have been asked to be reviewed, because in this country, criminals have more rights than victims. What are they? Please tell the victims watching.
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