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 hold hearings, so organizations and individuals can comment on the bill, and they may also invite officials and experts to answer questions.

While some members have changed, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights is the same committee that published The Shadow Pandemic: Stopping Coercive and Controlling Behaviour in Intimate Relationships in 2021. That multi-party report recommended a study of a coercive control offense and measures to support increased understanding of coercive control, including public awareness campaigns and training for judicial system actors, such as police, lawyers, and judges.

It’s time to stand with the the countless victims this law will protect: pass Bill C-332 today!