MPs call on feds to bring back bill criminalizing coercive behaviour in relationships

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OTTAWA - MPs on the House of Commons status of women committee called on the government Tuesday to criminalize coercive behaviour in intimate relationships.

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OTTAWA – MPs on the House of Commons status of women committee called on the government Tuesday to criminalize coercive behaviour in intimate relationships.

The committee members, representing multiple parties, issued a report following a committee study this fall on the issue of coercive control.

“We know that coercive control is often part of intimate partner violence, and not always well-recognized by the public, the police and the courts,” said Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu.

Standing committee on the status of women chair Marilyn Gladu speaks about a report on coercive behaviour in the foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Standing committee on the status of women chair Marilyn Gladu speaks about a report on coercive behaviour in the foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Coercive behaviour in relationships can include things like financial control, punishing pets, or isolating individuals, Gladu said. She called it “a key start to the escalation of violence against women.”

A private member’s bill from former NDP MP Laurel Collins to amend the Criminal Code to create a specific offence of coercive control passed the House of Commons before the last election but never made it through the Senate. MPs on the committee want that bill brought back.

The report released Tuesday also calls for training for people who interact with victims, such as police and justice system officials.

Gladu said criminalization and training go hand in hand “because we can’t have a law that the police and the judiciary don’t know how to implement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025.

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