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House Hansard - 250

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 9, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 250 - Nov/9/23
Mrs. Cathay Wagantall (Yorkton—Melville, CPC)
  • Nov/9/23 10:29:23 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the second petition indicates it is well established the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant and justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly and that the sentence should match the crime. Petitioners call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
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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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