MPs call on feds to bring back bill criminalizing coercive behaviour in relationships

OTTAWA — MPs on the House of Commons status of women committee called on the federal government Tuesday to criminalize coercive behaviour in intimate relationships.

The committee members, representing multiple parties, issued a report following a committee study on the issue of coercive control.

“We know that coercive control is often part of intimate partner violence, and not always well-recognized by the public, the police and the courts,” said Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu.

Coercive behaviour in relationships can include things like financial control, punishing pets, or isolating individuals, Gladu said. She called it “a key start to the escalation of violence against women.”

England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Australia have adopted legislation criminalizing coercive behaviour in recent years, the report says. It notes that while the Divorce Act refers to coercive control as a form of family violence, it doesn’t include a definition.

A private member’s bill from former NDP MP Laurel Collins to amend the Criminal Code to create a specific offence of coercive control passed the House of Commons before the last election but never made it through the Senate. MPs on the committee want that bill brought back.

The report released Tuesday also calls for training for people who interact with victims, such as police and justice system officials.

Gladu said criminalization and training go hand in hand “because we can’t have a law that the police and the judiciary don’t know how to implement.”

The report also calls for public education and awareness campaigns, and for the government to “recognize animal mistreatment as a form of coercive behaviour and train justice personnel as well as law enforcement to assess this during intimate partner violence investigations.”

Among other recommendations, it calls on the federal government to provide funding for victim supports.

“Addressing coercive control in Canada will not be accomplished through a single solution,” the report concludes.

“However, lessons learned from other jurisdictions and witness testimony indicate that legislative efforts towards criminalizing this behaviour, in combination with training and education opportunities targeted to different groups, as well as services provided to victims and survivors, would be positive steps towards supporting victims and survivors and addressing and preventing this behaviour in Canada.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press