Intimate partner violence could be declared an epidemic in Ontario after Ford government backs NDP bill
CTV
An NDP bill that calls for intimate partner violence to be declared an epidemic in Ontario will be backed by the Ford government, House Speaker Paul Calandra confirmed Wednesday.
An NDP bill that calls for intimate partner violence to be declared an epidemic in Ontario will be backed by the Ford government, House Speaker Paul Calandra confirmed Wednesday.
Bill 173, named the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, is expected to be introduced in the legislature on Wednesday afternoon.
Bills introduced by members of the opposition rarely receive government support and Calandra’s confirmation at Queen’s Park on Wednesday was met with a standing ovation from MPPs of all political stripes.
“There are not many days that we do something like that so I want to thank the government for agreeing today,” NDP Leader Marit Stiles said during Question Period.
“I always say it is privilege that we are able to be the ones to be here to advocate and I do want to thank the government.”
Calandra said while there are “a number of supports” in place, “we continue to hear more that we have to do even more in terms of responding to this.”
As recently as June, the province indicated that it would not declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario as it is not an infectious or communicable disease.
