Justice Minister McLellan Votes Against
Bill to Fight Domestic Violence
Wednesday, May 3, 2000
OTTAWA-Today Jay Hill, MP is questioning
why Ann McLellan, the Justice Minister, voted against
Bill C-223 (The Witness and Spousal Protection Act) even
though it passed second reading by a slim margin of 115
in favour, to 109 opposed. 17 backbench Liberal MPs supported
the bill.
In speeches prepared by the Justice
Minister’s department, it was stated that Bill C-223
is a good effort on the part of Mr. Hill, but it is not
the right answer to solve the problem. Yet no suggestions
were brought forward on the part of the government.
"I don’t claim to hold
all the answers, in fact I wrote to the Minister last
week and urged her to support my bill as a means of addressing
the issues of domestic violence, violence against women
and spousal abuse. I stated clearly that I was open to
co-operation, that I would adopt the recommendations of
the Committee if they found a better way to address these
travesties. I don’t understand why she voted against
it," stated Hill.
The bill now goes to the Standing
Committee on Justice and Human Rights for further study
and possible amendment. Witnesses will appear and give
testimony before the committee on a wide array of related
issues to help the Committee comprehend the full extent
of the proposed legislation.
"Ann McLellan has not delivered
on any of the Justice issues that are important to Canadians.
Instead she has become a rubber stamp for implementing
the will of the courts. Two women die every week in Canada
at the hands of their present or former spouse. That is
a statistic that I can’t live with, and that is why
I brought forward my bill. If she won’t take action
on issues that kill hundreds of Canadians, she should
not stand in the way of the Members of Parliament who
do," Hill added.
"I hope the testimony that
will be brought forward by the victims, experts and frontline
workers will help convince Minister McLellan to work with
the Committee to find the solutions to these travesties,"
concluded Hill
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