Members of the media may directly contact:
Kate Kehoe (English only)
Visiting Professor, Faculty of Law - Common Law Section.
kkehoe@uottawa.ca
Professor Kehoe's fields of research include child protection, the judiciary and judicial education, sexual assault within criminal law.
" From an equality-focused perspective, recognition of the profound and pervasive harm of spousal homicide is a very good thing. It is good to to see the government use a judicial safety valve rather than use the notwithstanding clause to bring back mandatory minimums that have been struck down (and create new ones). It is a reasonable response that balances Parliament’s right to enact sentencing legislation with the rights enshrined in the Charter.
I am very pleased to see the reforms which recognize the use of and damage of “deep fakes” and other forms of sexual exploitation and extortion, and which prioritize the protection of women and children. It’s crucially important for the justice system to have more opportunities to intervene and work with offenders and victims to address the underlying causes and prevent future emotional and physical violence. The measures to assist victims, particularly with accessing information and with testimonial aids, are also welcome. I am very happy to see the new offence of recruiting young people into criminal activity.
I am cautiously optimistic that the reforms aimed at reducing the number of cases that are stayed due to the application of Jordan will work. I am concerned, though, that these reforms may take the pressure off the system to address the underlying causes of delays in the justice system, namely a lack of resources to work with offenders and potential offenders to prevent criminal conduct in the first place, a lack of resources to prosecute and defend these cases in a timely way, and a failure to robustly explore alternatives to criminal prosecutions in appropriate cases."
Nicole Racine (English and French)
Director of the Early Lab ; Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences; and Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, CHEO.
nracine2@uottawa.ca
Professor Racine's expertise touches on child abuse and neglect; maternal, child, and adolescent health; and the social determinants of child and adolescent development.
"The increase in violence against women and children is deeply alarming and constitutes one of the most urgent public health and human rights challenges in Canada. Survivors deserve a justice system that responds quickly, consistently, and with the full force of the law when serious harm has been done. In this regard, legislative efforts to strengthen protections, close legal loopholes, and increase accountability are important and long overdue.
That said, the justice system alone cannot bear the entire burden of preventing violence. If we truly want to protect women and children, we must invest with equal determination in prevention, in support services for mothers and children leaving violent situations, and in long-term recovery services for those affected. Safe housing, trauma-informed mental health care, income supports, and accessible parenting and child development services are not options: they are essential violence prevention strategies.
Nor can we ignore the need for evidence-based rehabilitation programs for men and fathers who use violence. Accountability and rehabilitation must go hand in hand. Without addressing the root causes of violent behavior, such as trauma, substance use, coercive control, and rigid gender norms, we risk seeing the same harm repeated within families and across generations."
Irvin Waller (English and French)
Emeritus Professor, Department of Criminology, Faculty of Social Sciences
Professor Waller's research interests include Canadian crime, including the prevention of crime and dangerous criminals.