Femicide must be defined in law, experts say as Ontario police use term in homicide cases
Article content
As police in Ontario increasingly investigate killings of women and girls as femicides, advocates say a firm definition of the term must be embedded in the Criminal Code.
It's a change they hope could be on the table soon after Prime Minister Mark Carney proposed cracking down on intimate partner violence in this year's federal election campaign.
Ottawa police, who have been using the term since August 2024, said last week they were investigating the death of a 54-year-old woman as a femicide. They arrested a 57-year-old man and charged him with second-degree murder.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada Standard
5 hours ago
- Canada Standard
"Carney had no options": Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Canada's invitation to PM Modi for G7 Summit
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Foreign affairs expert KP Fabian on Sunday shared his insights on Canada's decision to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit. Speaking with ANI, he said, 'Carney had no options. The others said, Listen, India must be there. It's a vital link in the supply chain and any talk of Indo-Pacific stability.' Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, the host of this year's summit, reportedly faced significant pressure from other G7 members after initially hesitating to invite Prime Minister Modi. This reluctance was largely due to domestic political backlash within Carney's own Liberal Party, triggered by a diplomatic row linked to the killing of a Khalistani separatist in British Columbia in June 2023. He added, 'Now, of course, one should expect big demonstrations by the World Sikh Federation and others, but then it is for the government of Canada to deal with it.' Fabian remarked that India, as the world's fourth-largest and fastest-growing economy, must be included in G7 discussions given its strategic importance in global trade and Indo-Pacific stability. Fabian pointed out that India has participated in the G7 Summit in the past, including five times during former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's tenure. He added that Canada's hesitation ultimately yielded to pressure from the G7 nations, who recognised India's critical role. He further said, 'Carney is walking a tightrope when it comes to Canadian values. At a press conference, he was asked whether he believes the Indian government was involved in the killing of Nijjar. He refused to answer, citing the ongoing RCMP investigation. That's quite ironic. When did this happen, and why is the RCMP taking so long to conclude the investigation? And if you recall, why did Justin Trudeau accuse India before the investigation was even complete? Canadian political leaders have shown a lot of inconsistency. In the end, Mark Carney did the right thing, though it took some time -- and that's that.' The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating the incident, but no conclusions have been drawn yet. Despite these political challenges, Carney reaffirmed Canada's commitment to the G7 summit's agenda. On Friday (local time), he said that G7 countries will discuss important issues, including security and energy, emphasising that India's presence at this intergovernmental political and economic forum is essential. Carney emphasised that India, being the fifth-largest economy and the most populous country in the world, must be at the table. 'Let's put the two aspects in context -- first is, we are in the role -- Canada's in the role of the G7 chair and in those discussions as agreed with our G7 colleagues, include important discussions on energy, security, on digital future, critical minerals amongst others and partnerships actually in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world,' he said. Prime Minister Modi received a call from his Canadian counterpart, who extended India's invitation to attend the G7 Summit. 'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,' PM Modi wrote in his post. The G7 Summit (Group of Seven) is an informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies and the European Union. Its members meet annually at the G7 Summit to discuss global economic and geopolitical issues, according to the G7's official website. The members of the G7 are France, the US, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, and the UK. (ANI)
Cision Canada
9 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Prime Minister Carney convenes the Incident Response Group Français
OTTAWA, ON, June 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to address the ongoing 2025 wildfire situation affecting many parts of the country. The group was briefed on efforts to respond to the fires and support evacuations. This includes the mobilization of Canadian Armed Forces personnel to assist with the evacuation of Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario. The Prime Minister emphasized the close contact between various arms of the federal government, premiers, and the Canadian Armed Forces. All orders of government remain engaged, including with Indigenous leadership. Prime Minister Carney and the group thanked all first responders and officials on the ground, and reiterated that the federal government stands ready to mobilize additional support wherever needed and in all aspects.
Vancouver Sun
10 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Canadian Armed Forces deployed to assist northwestern Ontario wildfire evacuations
The federal government is deploying members of the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate a northwestern Ontario First Nation as wildfires rapidly spread in the region, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday. Carney said in a social media post that Ottawa has accepted Ontario's urgent request for assistance in and around Sandy Lake First Nation, and the military will help with emergency airlift evacuations. 'We're prepared to mobilize every resource needed to keep Canadians safe,' Carney wrote. In response to rapidly spreading wildfires in northwestern Ontario, the federal government has accepted a Request for Federal Assistance from the province. We've deployed Canadian Armed Forces aircraft and personnel to support emergency airlift evacuations… As of Sunday, the Ontario government said the Red Lake 12 wildfire, near Deer Lake First Nation, is out of control and more than 1,500 square kilometres in size. The fire is about six kilometres from the community of Sandy Lake First Nation, it said. 'Overnight growth was minimal, but the fire has been exhibiting high intensity activity this morning,' the Ministry of Natural Resources said. Helicopters and fire ranger crews are continuing to suppress the fires and are focusing on structure protection, the ministry said, adding that minimal rain is forecasted in the next 24 hours. The ministry said Sandy Lake First Nation is conducting a phase one evacuation of residents by air, and boats will be available if needed. The province said Deer Lake First Nation remains evacuated and is being protected by fire rangers. Aerial suppression activities will continue as smoke conditions allow, with helicopters and 11 FireRanger crews continuing suppression operations and focusing on structure protection. Minimal rain is forecasted over the next 24 hours. It said the province's northwest region had 26 active fires as of Saturday night, seven of which were out of control. Videos and photos on social media showed one fire approaching a construction site near Sandy Lake First Nation on Saturday, with multiple cargo containers catching on fire and crews reportedly escaping the blaze by sheltering in one of them. Manitoba-based construction company Sigfusson Northern confirmed their crew was safely evacuated after they were working on a job site near the First Nation. 'Our crews showed an extreme level of professionalism and courage in the face of a rapidly changing situation,' the company said in a social media post. Other provinces, including Manitoba and Saskatchewan, are also undergoing evacuation efforts in some areas due to wildfires. The wildfires have prompted air quality alerts in Ontario. Environment Canada warned that smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility in areas including Sioux Lookout, Summer Beaver and Ear Falls. The weather agency added that some northeastern areas, including Timmins, Kapuskasing and Attawapiskat, are under a special air quality statement Sunday due to the smoke. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
