MP Caputo’s bill ‘Bailey’s Law’ officially passes, awaits royal assent to become law

“This will be, in my view, probably the greatest change to the laws of intimate partner violence in modern day Canadian legal history,” Caputo told CFJC News. “It will make murder of an intimate (partner) first-degree where there is coercive control and it will also create an offense called violence against an intimate partner. Right now, if you abuse your intimate partner, it’s just assault or criminal harassment. This will actually call it what it is. These are huge changes. Sentencing will also be amped up for those who abuse their intimate partner.”

Caputo’s opposition bill is the first private members bill to be passed during this parliamentary session, with it moving through the process in less than a year.

“At the end of the day, Bailey’s Law is a great example of how things should work,” added Caputo. “I can’t tell you how many discussions I had with the minister of justice about Bailey’s Law. The fact is, he met with the family on two or three occasions. That is how it’s supposed to work. We had to win support for Bailey’s Law from the Liberals and from the opposition parties. We did that with the support of Bailey’s family, something I’m super proud of.”

The final step for the bill will be royal assent, which is usually just a formality, with the bill becoming Canadian law 30 days post-assent.

by Michael Reeve

MP Caputo’s bill ‘Bailey’s Law’ officially passes, awaits royal assent to become law

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