GN to look into possible Clare’s Law bill: justice minister
Potential legislation would help address intimate partner violence
Justice Minister of Justice David Akeeagok said Wednesday his department is looking into whether legislation is needed for Clare’s Law, to prevent intimate partner violence. Four provinces have passed bills on their own versions of Clare’s Law. (File photo by David Venn)
Nunavut’s Department of Justice has begun work that could lead to a bill modelled on Clare’s Law, Justice Minister David Akeeagok said Wednesday.
“We dedicated resources and will be doing in-depth analysis on whether legislation will be needed for this territory,” Akeeagok said during question period in the legislative assembly.
Clare’s Law — also known as an interpersonal violence disclosure protocol — would allow police to disclose to someone if their partner has a history of abusive or harmful behaviour. It is meant to prevent domestic violence.
Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Arreak Lightstone said he began asking the Government of Nunavut about introducing Clare’s Law more than three years ago. He noted the City of Iqaluit passed a motion in May that called on the GN to implement one.
Akeeagok said that when the government was doing consultations on the Family Abuse Interventions Act, it was determined a separate bill would be needed.
He acknowledged Lightstone’s persistence on the issue.
“Through good conversations like this, we’re able to start changing [the law] within Canadian jurisdictions,” Akeeagok said.
Saskatchewan and Alberta have implemented Clare’s Law, while Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba have passed legislation.
Both Lightstone and Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster pressed Akeeagok to include protection and prevention of child abuse as a part of Nunavut’s Clare’s law bill.
Brewster pointed out that since many of the risk factors for child abuse, such as unstable housing and food security, are found in Nunavut, it would make sense to try to protect children with a new bill.
“We have an opportunity to create a Nunavut-specific act that is related to our unique experience,” Brewster said.
Akeeagok responded, saying his staff are looking into the issues Brewster and Lightstone described.
He said he encourages discussion on Clare’s Law to continue.
Iqaluit Coun. Kim Smith presented her council’s motion on Clare’s Law to the GN in May. She told Nunatsiaq News Wednesday she’s “overjoyed” to hear work has begun on a potential Clare’s Law bill.
If Nunavut were to enact a Clare’s Law, Smith said, it would “not only help so many people, but will save lives for years to come.”
Smith thanked Lightstone and Brewster for speaking in favour of it and Akeeagok for “listening to the concerns of Nunavummiut around this issue.”
Y’all need that in Nunavut big time 😂 🤣
What’s so funny about domestic violence? What a low life, laughing at domestic violence issues.
At the end of the day, it takes a minimum of two people to fight. Remove one and the fighting will stop.
Men’s should not be left out of this new legislation….men should have a right to be notified if their new partner has a history of violence. Some women are violent too
Any kind of intimate partnership should be included…..men/women, woman/woman, men/men. trans/trans and any other combination there might be out there.
” would allow police to disclose to someone if their partner has a history of abusive or harmful behaviour.”
I don’t see gender-specific pronouns in that sentence. Why did you assume the language in the law would be any different? Alberta, as one example, specifically indicates the gender of the person asking, and the person being asked about, are irrelevant, which it has to because it also applies to same0sex relationships.
“It takes two to fight” is the excuse used by people who don’t want to bother to figure out if someone is responsible, or to try and put some of the blame on the victim. It takes two to have a fight. It only takes one to be at fault for abuse.
As fights are sometimes happening, but often, it’s not a fight at all, but a hit, punch, or weapon assault by one person to the other. And even if there’s an argument, name calling, that kind of thing, it doesn’t excuse assault to the person consequently calling out words and arguments, and name calling. One one has to hit except a situation of self defence, and we’re not talking that here.
Abuse comes in all forms, mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, sexual. verbal. I do not condone any form of abuse.
Suicide rates among men is 3 to 4 times higher then that of women in Nunavut We have to ask ourselves why this rate to different?
I am not trying to minimize physical abuse either.
There is a whole lot of healing that is needed for men, women and children who are often forgotten in the equation of abuse.
Our communities are only are strong as our weakest links…..my children to go school with all the other children, and abuse, weather physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual, verbal, financial at home always spills out in our communities though the children.
children end up abusing other children as this is a behavior they learn at home and think is is normal,
WE NEED TO ALL SPEAK OUT ABOUT ALL FORMS OF ABOUSE.
Spiritual abuse?
Who was Clare? I just want to know, when names are used, many of us have no idea, I am not de-meaning Clare…I just need to know.
Named after Clare Wood, a woman murdered in England by a former domestic partner who police knew to be dangerous.
Thank you.
Nunavut needs a USA-style public sex-offender database. People deserve the right to know who the creeps are walking around their neighborhoods and the atrocious acts they may have committed. Taima
I know it seems like public registries would make people safer, but the truth is research has shown they don’t.
Keep in mind that registries only apply to convictions. Look at some of the recent convictions for historical abuse that went unreported for decades. There more people who have sexually assaulted people and never got caught than people on any of the lists. Those lists give a false sense of security- the more likely predator is someone victims know and trust.
Clare’s Law, often known officially as a Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme or similar, designates several ways for police officers to disclose a person’s history of abusive behaviour to those who may be at risk from such behaviour. It is intended to reduce intimate partner violence. Clare’s Law is named after Clare Wood, a woman murdered in England by a former domestic partner who police knew to be dangerous.
full story
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare%27s_Law
I’m not so sure that Clare’s law would do anything for our community, where most people already know about sue and John, and they know about each other too, no need for that law, unless it could be stressed onto the unaware.
This is the most reality-based comment so far.
What about if there is a new person in our community. How do we know about them? What if we switch communities?
Mabye your child is from a small community, living in a regional center (mabye for college), dating a person from Yellowknife?
Let’s let people make informed decisions about their own safety.
It may be easier to list those who do not have a history of domestic violence in NU. Been to the CWop lately…? See any ladies with shiners?
I hope this will be for both, both sides are equally concerned as I have seen most of my family members having an abusive girlfriend or wife. This goes both ways. Not just from one side.