Coercive Control Bill Moves to Committee

The evening of February 7, 2024, Bill C-332, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (controlling or coercive conduct), was read the second time in the House of Commons and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. This parliamentary committee will study the law in depth, and may recommend changes. Typically, the committee will […]

Coercive Control Bill in 2024

On February 7, 2024, Bill C-332, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (controlling or coercive conduct), is projected to continue its second reading in Canada’s House of Commons.  The Bill was introduced in November 2023 by its sponsor, MP Laurel Collins (NDP, Victoria), who shared a personal and moving speech in support of the legislation: “The […]

Coercive Control Bill to Have Second Reading

Advocate for Bill C-332 and help expand protections for people in abusive relationships It’s a type of abuse experienced in most violent relationships and is a common precursor to domestic homicide. And it’s often completely legal. Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour used to regulate and dominate another person’s daily life and remove their […]

Justice Minister Aligned on Coercive Control

Justice Minister: Offence Targeting Coercive Control Aligned with Government Efforts  On August 14, the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, reaffirmed his government’s support for amending our Criminal Code to protect the many Canadians impacted by coercive control.  Minister Virani’s remarks were captured in a letter to David Cameron, Regional […]

Next Step in Criminalizing Coercive Control

Private member’s bill to expand protections for people in abusive relationships Keep informed on Bill C-332 On May 18, 2023, NDP MP Laurel Collins (Victoria) introduced a private member’s bill to provide more legal protection for individuals experiencing coercive control. Read the announcement here. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home,” said Collins in […]

Innovation Outside the Lab Takeaways

When you’re addressing intractable social issues, status quo solutions just aren’t cutting it. Recently, civil society leaders gathered at the Innovation Outside the Lab Summit (IOL) to discuss innovation as a pathway to societal change. Read on below for a shortlist of the many takeaways from IOL. 1. Start with “yes”, “and” and “both” It […]

Clearing up the Confusion About Abuse 

New online Resource Hub provides anonymous access to clear, reliable and relevant information about abuse  Domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, emotional abuse or coercive control… we have many names for experiences that are both very common and completely unique to each person impacted by it.   Abuse is complex and often hard to understand. But now, […]

Innovation Outside the Lab

Recently, the government of Alberta announced recipients of the province’s Civil Society Fund. The funded projects will help vulnerable Albertans and contribute to the province’s social and economic recovery. Sagesse’s Innovation Outside the Lab Project is one of the successful applications. We sat down with Sagesse’s Director of Innovation and Programs, Carrie McManus, to find […]