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Decentralized Democracy

Member of Parliament

Laurel Collins

  • Member of Parliament
  • NDP
  • Victoria
  • British Columbia
  • Voting Attendance: 58%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $246,897.52

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 324 - Jun/4/24
Ms. Laurel Collins
  • Jun/4/24 5:49:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the story I shared about Lisa is an example of this. I have heard from so many women who have had accusations of parental alienation weaponized against them and who have been in courtrooms where judges do not have an understanding of what domestic abuse and what intimate partner violence does to women and children. There is a need for an understanding of gender dynamics when it comes to addressing these issues. We need training for judges, for prosecutors and for everyone involved in the criminal justice system. We need the government to seriously look at the issue of parental alienation and to consider whether legislative changes are needed to better protect survivors of abuse.
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Context: House Hansard - 250 - Nov/9/23
Ms. Laurel Collins
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for her support for this move and for recognizing the importance of this bill. I really appreciate that question because we have heard from survivors and domestic abuse organizations in the U.K. and Scotland about some of the barriers that people face, even after the legislation has passed, which is why it is so important that we ensure that judges, prosecutors and people involved in the criminal justice system have training. In Canada, we already know that coercive and controlling behaviour is integrated into family law. It does have a place in some of our criminal justice systems, so some people are aware of it, but many are not. We need to do the work to make sure that judges, prosecutors and people in the criminal justice system are educated.
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