Calgary organizations call for federal parties to commit to coercive control legislation

With Parliament prorogued and brought to a standstill, one consequence of a possible snap election in the spring is a bill that received unanimous support among MPs from all parties may be abandoned.

Bill C-332 is legislation that would criminalize coercive control, which refers to a pattern of controlling and abusive behaviour in intimate partner relationships. This includes controlling an intimate partner's actions, employment, finances or other property, which often serves to remove a partner's sense of personal agency and limit their freedom.

After being introduced as a private member's bill by New Democrat MP Laurel Collins, the legislation received unanimous support from MPs last year. It passed its second reading in the Senate in December, but has now stalled before its third and final reading due to Parliament's prorogation.

Because the act is a private member's bill, the Senate can still quickly pass it once Parliament reconvenes, unlike Liberal legislation. But if an election is called before its next Senate reading, it will be abandoned.

"It's honestly devastating. We've been following the bill very closely and it was very close to becoming law," said Leslie Hill, executive director of Discovery House, which is a charity that offers support for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

Now, some Calgary organizations like Discovery House are calling for political parties to commit to supporting legislation on coercive control moving forward. Hill hopes the support it's received will lead to the bill being tabled in the next sitting of Parliament.

"I think it is something that needs to get done, and that is evidenced by the fact that all parties supported it to move through the House of Commons," Hill said. 

"People recognize the importance of it, and so I do hope to see each of [the parties] take notice of that and be willing to take the steps to put it into law."

CBC News reached out to Collins's office, as well as the Prime Minister's Office and the Conservative Party of Canada about the future of the bill and how they would respond to calls to continue to pursue this legislation after the next election, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Bill C-332 is the second time coercive control legislation has been brought forward in recent years in Canada, building off of a previous private member's bill from NDP MP Randall Garrison. It's an offence that's already legislated against in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some U.S. states.

The bill responds to what Hill calls a domestic violence epidemic in Canada. Statistics Canada found that reports to police of intimate partner violence increased 13 per cent in Canada between 2018 and 2023.

Sagesse Domestic Violence Prevention Society in Calgary has advocated for Canada to introduce coercive control legislation ever since the United Kingdom's own policy on the issue passed in 2015. Sagesse CEO Andrea Silverstone notes that calls to police related to domestic abuse increased 31 per cent in the UK within three years of a working definition for coercive control being implemented.

Heading into a potential spring election, Silverstone said she'd like to see each political party commit in their campaigns to legislating against coercive control, if elected. A government bill could move more quickly through Parliament than a private member's bill, she notes.

"No matter what party wins, going into the next election, we feel very strongly that that party should make it a part of their platform," Silverstone said 

Silverstone attributes the difficulty to pass any coercive control legislation yet to the rocky political landscape at the federal level in the last several years, and the amount of other issues the Canadian government has needed to address, rather than a lack of support from political parties.

"All parties want to see protections for victims of domestic abuse," Silverstone said. "For me, what feels very important is that domestic abuse is at epidemic levels."