Ontario’s Response to Domestic Violence Draws Anger

Advocates and family members of victims are upset with the Ontario government’s response to inquest recommendations aimed at tackling intimate partner violence (IPV).

Supporters of IPV victims came together Wednesday in Petawawa, marking one year since an inquest into the murders of three women by the same man in Renfrew County: Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam.

The jury from the inquest proposed that both provincial and federal governments follow a list of 86 recommendations that included many preventive measures.

Ontario, which was primarily addressed in these recommendations, submitted its initial response back in February and sent a follow-up to the coroner’s office on Tuesday.

Of the 30 recommendations discussed in this second response, eight were rejected, ten were accepted, and another twelve were partially accepted.

Pamela Cross, advocacy director for Luke’s Place, a non-profit organization, said she “burst into tears” when she saw the update on Tuesday.

“I just saw that first page, full of rejected, rejected, rejected, and I just didn’t even want to turn the page,” she shared.

Pamela Cross, advocacy director of the non-profit organization Luke’s Place, says she ‘burst into tears’ when she read the rejections from the Ontario government. (Avanthika Anand/CBC)

Cross also mentioned that most rejections pertained to calls for increased transparency and accountability from the provincial government.

“If we can’t get the government to agree that they have an obligation to be both transparent and accountable, we’re really in trouble,” she stated.

Province refuses to label IPV as an epidemic

One recommendation that was turned down by the province was a formal declaration labeling IPV as an epidemic.

In their response, officials argued that “epidemic” is a term meant for disease spread and isn’t applicable to IPV.

Cross noted that since the conclusion of the inquest, several municipalities have labeled IPV an epidemic-including Renfrew County and Ottawa just nearby.

Chantel Butterfield, executive director at Sarnia-Lambton Sexual Assault Survivors’ Centre expressed her heartbreak over these rejections.

“Declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic would cost the Ontario government nothing and yet they rejected the opportunity to do so,” she remarked.

“I think that it really sends a message that women , girls , and gender-diverse people are not important.”

Other recommendations turned down included establishing an independent commission for IPV as well as funding safe rooms for survivors facing high-risk situations.Supporters for victims of femicide gathered in Petawawa Wednesday onthe one-year anniversary of aninquestinto2015murdersofthreewomen.(Avanthika Anand/CBC)’Disservice’to victims, familysay Malcolm Warmerdam , whose mother Nathaliewasoneof threewomenkilledin2015 , commentedthat eventhepartiallyacceptedrecommendationsfeltlacking.“[It] seemed like they saidthewordaccepted, but(didn’tactuallymean)that,”hesaid.Inresponse tootherecommendations , Warmerdamsaidthegovernment merelylistedexistinggrantsthatdidn’tnecessarilyapply.“What we gotfrom Ontarioandtheseresponseswasthattheyweregoingtogive non-sustainablefundingtoourexistingone-size-fits-allsolutionthatweheardwasnotworking,”hesaid.Malcolm Warmerdam says many ofthegovernmentresponsesdidn’taddressthesubstanceofthe recommendations.(Avanthika Anand/CBC)

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Warmerdam’sdaughter Elizabeth Rautapurosaidshesufferedlosingher motherbeforegettingthechance”to truly knowher.”“Theinquestwasachancefor thingstofinallychange,”Rautapurosaid.

“Butthegovernmentof Ontario’s refusalfor concreteactionisadisservicetothemothers, sisters, and daughterswhohavebeenlosttointimatepartnerviolence.”

Solicitor General’s statement

Inanemailedstatement, a spokespersonforthe Ontario’s Ministryofthe Solicitor General- whichoperatesthecorrectional , probationandparolesystems-saidtheprovincehasinvested$112millioninbailenforcementandprosecutionteams,$250milliontocombatviolenceagainstwomenandsupportvictims.

“Theindividualwhocommittedthese heinouscrimesshouldneverhavebeenreleasedinthefirstplaceandwasgiven too manysecondchancesbythejusticesystem. That has tochang e,”thestatementreads.

“Weknowthereismoretodo, andthe Renfrew Juryrecommendationswillhelp informfutureinvestmentsmadeto fightviolenceandensurethejusticesystemistheretoprotectvictimsofcrime.”

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