ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS — Criminal Code

Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(b), I move that the bill be read the third time now.

He said: Honourable senators, I would like to take a moment to explain why I am asking for leave today. I am requesting leave of the Senate today to have Bill C-225 — Bailey’s Law — receive third reading in the chamber this afternoon. This is a very important and vital bill for thousands of victims of intimate partner violence and their families. I have presented the statistics of intimate partner violence throughout Canada in this chamber on numerous occasions. Time will not allow me to do that today, but one statistic stands out: A woman is killed every 48 hours in this country by her intimate partner — every 48 hours. Sadly, Bailey McCourt was one of those victims, killed with a hammer by her ex-husband. Her family, including her aunt Debbie Henderson, who joins us in the gallery today, has been advocating for Bill C-225.

The bill has the support of the government, the justice minister, the House of Commons and the Senate Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee, as we just saw. My hope today is that we will have, in the Senate of Canada, a show of support for Bailey’s Law and grant leave to have Bill C-225 receive third reading and have Bailey’s Law cross the finish line. Thank you.