Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani responded to the Supervising Coroner of the Renfrew County Femicide Inquiry with a declaration of GBV as an epidemic in Canada.
This, after the province of Ontario has refused to do so despite more than 40 cities and municipalities in Ontario having made this symbolic and powerful declaration already.
Minister Virani's letter also contained responses to some of the inquiry's 86 jury recommendations including, the federal government's intent to criminalize coercive control, review criminal harassment, increase data collection on femicide, government efforts to strengthen protections for victims of crime, as well as referencing the work and recommendations of the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission and public inquiry into the mass shooting in 2020.
Funding and implementation commitments related to the National Action Plan to End GBV were also itemized.
Click on the image to read the full letter from Justice Minister Virani to Regional Supervising Coroner for Inquests, David A. Cameron, August 14th, 2023.