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Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety Frank Caputo has introduced Bill C-225, a Private Member’s Bill aimed at improving Canada’s legal response to intimate partner violence.
Caputo says intimate partner violence, or IPV, is vastly underreported and remains the most significant form of violence against women. Survivors often face a cycle of abuse, marked by economic and emotional dependence, while children who witness the violence suffer lasting trauma.
If passed, the bill would classify the murder of a current or former intimate partner as first-degree murder, regardless of intent or planning. It also creates new offences, including Assault Intimate Partner and Criminal Harassment of Intimate Partner, and ensures individuals convicted of IPV within the past five years can only be released by a judge. Courts would gain authority to detain accused persons for risk assessments and the bill would modernize the detention of seized evidence.
Caputo, a former parole officer and Crown prosecutor, emphasizes that current laws are insufficient to address the severity of IPV. “I refuse to sit idle while this crime continues to ruin the lives of so many victims,” he said. The bill aims to protect victims, hold repeat offenders accountable, and strengthen the justice system’s response.
Canadians experiencing intimate partner violence are urged to contact the police or confide in someone they trust. Caputo hopes for all-party support to ensure the bill’s rapid passage and to provide greater safety and justice for vulnerable Canadians.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
