'You're all cowards': Ford government quashes debate on sexual assault justice bill
Ontario New Democrats are accusing the government of arrogance, hubris, and disdain for women after Progressive Conservatives shut down a debate set to take place tomorrow on a bill aimed at improving transparency around sexual assault cases.
The private member's bill from Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife was to be debated Wednesday afternoon, with more than a hundred survivors and advocates expected in attendance at Queen’s Park in Toronto.
In a move that blindsided the opposition, PCs voted Tuesday to send 'Lydia's Law' to committee without debate. NDP MPPs shouted "shame" and "cowards" as government MPPs stood to vote.
"It's shocking actually that they would have such disdain for women," Fife told reporters through tears.
Bill 189 draws on recommendations from Ontario's Auditor General in 2019. It calls on the Attorney General to report each year on the number of criminal cases that have been held up for more than eight months, analyze the reasons for the delays, and address them.
Fife says 1,119 sexual assault cases were thrown out in 2023 and 1,326 the year before.
"This is a broken justice system that fails women and girls every single day and Lydia's Law would have held the minister, the Attorney General to account," she said.
NDP leader Marit Stiles took to social media following Tuesday's vote, calling the decision to advance the bill to the committee stage without debate "despicable."
"I can't believe the Conservatives just quashed [MPP Fife's] legislation that supports sexual assault victims without warning OR debate," Stiles wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "This is despicable. Shame on you, Doug Ford."
In turn, Government House leader Paul Calandra accused the NDP of putting on "a show" and dismissed accusations the government is trying to kill the bill.
Calandra explains the goal was to get it to a committee already studying intimate partner violence sooner.
"There's some very good things, positives, in this particular piece of legislation and had (the NDP) spent like six seconds thinking about parliamentary process and how it could be effective in the bill, then perhaps they'd be a little less fulsome in their shouting."
Calandra expects elements of Lydia's Law will be folded into the final committee report.
But the NDP insists female legislators, survivors, and advocates have been silenced.
"We don't trust this government. They've shown us who they really are and how they treat women in Ontario," Fife said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Multiple homes, businesses 'lost' to wildfire in Jasper National Park: Parks Canada
Officials from Parks Canada and Jasper say "multiple structures, including a number of businesses and homes, in and around the town of Jasper, have been lost" to wildfire in Jasper National Park.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Tourist suffers 3rd-degree burns to feet after losing flip flops amid soaring temperatures in Death Valley
A tourist was hospitalized after suffering serious burns on his feet on Saturday when he lost his flip flops at a U.S. national park where temperatures soared past 48 Celsius.
'There's mom and dad's house': New video appears to show destruction of Jasper neighbourhood
Video posted to social media on Thursday morning appears to show the charred remains of a Jasper, Alta., neighbourhood.
Former judge with disputed Cree heritage likely has Indigenous DNA: law society
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
Australian field hockey player opts to amputate part of his finger in order to compete in Paris Olympics
In the run up to the Paris Olympics, athletes have been stepping up their preparations in order to maintain their edge over competitors. But for Australia’s Matt Dawson, those preparations looked a little different this year, with the field hockey player opting to have part of his finger amputated in order to compete in the Games.
Canada to bring home fewest Olympic medals since 2012, according to forecaster
Fewer Canadians are expected to reach the Paris podium than in the previous two Olympic Summer Games, a global data analytics company predicts.
Jennifer Aniston criticizes JD Vance for 'childless cat ladies' remarks: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children'
Jennifer Aniston is criticizing JD Vance for comments he made in his past about women without children.