Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about an issue that demands not only our highest attention but also our sustained and collective action: violence against women and girls, and the protection of victims and survivors across Canada. Violence against women is not abstract. It is not rare. It is not confined to headlines or statistics. It is happening in our communities, in our neighbourhoods and too often behind closed doors. It affects women of all ages, backgrounds and regions, including in my riding of of Prescott—Russell—Cumberland. This is why the protecting victims act would represent one of the most significant and necessary updates to Canada’s criminal justice system in generations. While broad in scope, the legislation can be clearly understood through four core pillars: first, tackling gender-based and intimate partner violence; second, protecting children from predators; third, strengthening victims’ rights; and fourth, addressing court delays and strengthening system integrity. Together, these reforms would modernize the Criminal Code to respond to contemporary threats, intervene earlier to prevent violence and ensure that the justice system works faster, more fairly and more compassionately for victims and survivors. Gender-based violence is rarely an isolated act. It is more of a cycle of control, fear and intimidation. This bill recognizes coercive and controlling behaviour, strengthens offences related to criminal harassment and modernizes the offence of non-consensual distribution of an intimate image to reflect the real harm caused by online sexual violence. It also recognizes the most tragic outcome of this violence by classifying femicide as first-degree murder, sending a clear message. Hate crimes and gender-based crimes will face the full extent of the law. Children face growing risks in a digital world where predators increasingly use technology to exploit and harm. Police-reported child sexual abuse and exploitation offences are now more than 12 times higher than in 2008. This legislation would strengthen protections by expanding child luring offences and sextortion offences, addressing youth recruitment and restoring mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious child sexual offences, with a safety valve to ensure just and constitutional sentences. It would send a clear message: Crimes against children will always be treated with the utmost seriousness. Justice is not just about convictions. It is also about how victims are treated at every step of the process. Too many survivors feel invisible, experience delays and are retraumatized by complex procedures. This bill strengthens the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights by building a trauma-informed, victim-centred justice system. It affirms victims’ rights to respect and fairness, ensures the proactive disclosure of information, expands access to testimonial aids and clarifies victims’ right to submit impact statements throughout the sentencing, parole and correctional system stages. It also improves information sharing so that victims are not left in the dark about decisions that affect their safety. Delays in the justice system have serious consequences. Too often, cases involving sexual assault and violent crime collapse before they are ever heard. The protecting victims act would respond directly by requiring that courts consider alternatives before dismissing cases for delay, modernizing how unreasonable delay is assessed and streamlining procedures in sexual offence trials. It would also expand the use of alternative and restorative measures where appropriate and where public safety is not at risk, ensuring accountability while preserving fairness. The urgency of this legislation cannot be overstated. In 2024 alone, 187 women were violently killed in Canada, which is nearly one woman every two days. Behind every number is a life lost, a family devastated and a community forever changed. Victims continue to face barriers, retraumatization, a lack of information, procedural complexity and delays that erode confidence in the justice system. National inquiries, provincial inquests and the national action plan to end gender-based violence have all called for stronger protections, earlier interventions and a more reliable justice process. This legislation would answer those calls. Laws are important, but what happens on the ground is just as important. In my riding, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, organizations like Maison Interlude show us what concrete, effective support looks like. For over 40 years, Maison Interlude has placed women who are victims of domestic violence and their children at the heart of its mission. Thanks to the leadership of pioneering feminists and the dedication of its staff, Maison Interlude has become a true lifeline for families fleeing violence. That is why, last November, I was proud to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, more than $17 million in federal funding through the affordable housing fund to support the construction of 35 safe housing units in Embrun. This second-stage housing project will provide women and children fleeing violence with a safe, stable, and supportive living environment, an essential bridge between emergency shelter and long-term self-sufficiency. Each resident will receive personalized support to rebuild her life, regain her independence, and plan for a safer future. We will not only provide these women with a roof over their heads; we will offer them the stability and dignity they deserve. This is how policies come to life. This is how justice becomes tangible. The protecting victims act is about accountability. It is about prevention, and above all, it is about dignity. It builds on earlier reforms and represents the next major step in strengthening safety and justice for Canadians. It reflects a clear commitment to protecting women, children and all victims of violence, in law, in practice and in our communities. As we work to build Canada strong, we must ensure that strength is measured not only by economic independence, but also by how we protect the most vulnerable among us. I urge all members of the House to support this legislation and to stand with victims and survivors across Canada.
