This article discusses intimate partner violence, as well as suicide and may be triggering to some readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence or abuse contact the 91大黄鸭 Women鈥檚 Shelter 24/7 support line at 250-763-1040 or text 236-970-0704. In an emergency, call 911. If you feel like you are in crisis or are considering suicide, please call the Crisis Centre BC suicide hotline at 1-800-784-2433.
The B.C. government and the Conservative caucus came out with competing plans to create stronger protections for intimate partner violence on Monday, Aug. 25.
The calls for reform come as the province continues to grapple with the events that led to the horrific killing earlier this summer of 91大黄鸭 mother Bailey McCourt in a disturbing daylight attack in a parking lot that the RCMP called a "."
McCourt's family has since proposed 鈥淏ailey鈥檚 Law,鈥� which calls for a domestic violence offender registry, mandatory GPS monitoring of high-risk offenders with victim notification, and tougher penalties for intimate partner homicides where there is a documented history of abuse. James Plover, McCourt's ex-partner, has been charged with second-degree murder. The BC Conservatives caucus is backing the family's plan.
Meanwhile, the government's plan would strengthen protections in the Family Law Act to update and expand legal definitions for family violence, expand access to protection orders and emphasize the needs of children in custody decisions. This is in addition to advocating for federal criminal code and bail reforms. The government does not specifically mention McCourt in its news release on the proposed changes.
McCourt鈥檚 family outlined the changes they would like to see in a letter to the premier and the prime minister, saying they hope her death will lead to systemic change. Several Conservative MLAs got behind the plans in a prepared statement from the caucus.
鈥淚 commend Bailey鈥檚 family for turning their grief into action and using Bailey鈥檚 legacy as a force for good,鈥� said Kristina Loewen, MLA for 91大黄鸭 Centre in the Conservative news release. 鈥淲hen someone is convicted of violent offences against an intimate partner, the system should never gamble with a victim鈥檚 life.鈥�
91大黄鸭鈥揗ission MLA Gavin Dew called the family鈥檚 proposals 鈥減ractical, measured, and urgently needed.鈥�
鈥淏ailey鈥檚 family has shown extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable loss,鈥� Dew said. 鈥淲e owe it to them, and to every woman at risk of violence, to ensure Bailey鈥檚 Law is adopted without delay.鈥�
The Conservative critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety, Surrey鈥揅loverdale MLA Elenore Sturko, said meaningful change is long overdue.
鈥淥ur system failed Bailey, but it is not too late to save the lives of other women at risk of being killed by intimate partner violence," Sturko said. 鈥淲hat happened to Bailey is an inexcusable failure of our justice system. The government must act immediately and push for criminal code reforms that put the safety of women and victims first.鈥�
The Conservative caucus says it will continue working with the McCourt family and will press for the provincial parts of Bailey鈥檚 Law to be adopted by the legislature.
The government's proposed changes are part of a multi-year review of the Family Law Act based on an independent review conducted by Kim Stanton, who formerly led the Women鈥檚 Legal Education and Action Fund and served on the commission examining the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shootings.
"This is the next step in our plan to update family law in B.C. and make the justice system more supportive and accessible," said Attorney General Niki Sharma in a news release. "It includes proposed reforms to better support survivors of family and intimate-partner violence, which remains one of my top priorities."
The government expects to provide a full update on its work to implement Stanton's recommendations in the fall, but revealed several specific ways it plans to alter the Family Law Act as part of this response.
This includes updating legal definitions, ensuring all types of family violence are recognized, such as coercive and controlling behaviour, expanding the default length of protection orders from one year to two, and making subsequent protection order applications easier.
The government also plans to propose several "children first" changes, such as requiring courts to consider safety arrangements for parents, guardians and children at risk of family violence, clarifying how decisions about caring for and spending time with a child should be made, and improving children's opportunity to share their views in the legal process.
