QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Gender-Based Violence
October 21, 2026
Senator Moreau, in June 2020, in the aftermath of the tragedy that claimed 22 lives in Nova Scotia, Senator Colin Deacon, Senator Stan Kutcher and I called publicly for a joint federal-provincial inquiry and insisted that the inquiry address intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. The Mass Casualty Commission highlighted in its final report how gender-based violence and intimate partner violence are critical public safety issues and called for measures, including an independent gender-based violence commissioner.
Recently, the commission’s Progress Monitoring Committee released its final report and rated progress on gender-based violence-related recommendations as just “solidly initiated,” warning that current federal funding does not match the scale of the problem.
Senator Moreau, will the government commit to establishing the Mass Casualty Commission-recommended independent gender-based violence commissioner and provide a clear timeline for implementing the commission’s recommendations?
Well, thank you, Senator Coyle. There is no doubt that you raise an important topic, and it goes with the concern raised yesterday by your colleague Senator Senior.
As I have said, I cannot comment on future government legislation or appointments, but I will add your voice to my message from yesterday to the minister on the implementation of an independent federal gender-based violence commissioner. In the meantime, the government’s approach to combatting gender-based violence combines stronger laws with sustained investment to protect women. In your region, Senator Coyle, there is $1 million for the Antigonish Women’s Centre & Sexual Assault Services. This is a sustained investment with $607.4 million to support provinces and territories to end the cycle of violence.
Thank you, Senator Moreau.
The Mass Casualty Commission’s Progress Monitoring Committee’s mandate has now ended. It’s over. Significant work remains. The committee’s final report noted that 40 of the 130 recommendations were not formally assessed, and it emphasized that progress on systemic issues, such as gender-based violence and institutional trust, requires sustained, long-term effort.
Given that committee members have expressed concern about the need for continued monitoring and accountability, will the government commit to establishing an independent, replacement body —
Thank you, senator.
The government is committed to acting on the Mass Casualty Commission’s recommendation to ensure that lessons learned have a lasting impact to better protect the public.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme released last year’s strategy that outlines how the RCMP plans to respond to the inquiry. Nonetheless, I can raise the recommendation to establish a body to continue monitoring the implementation of the commission’s recommendation to the minister.
Thank you for your question.
