Members of Parliament are intensifying pressure on the federal government to reintroduce legislation that would criminalize coercive behaviour in intimate relationships. The call comes amid growing concerns about patterns of psychological abuse and control that often precede physical violence.
Committee Report Demands Action
The Standing Committee on the Status of Women, chaired by Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu, presented a comprehensive report on coercive behaviour in the House of Commons on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Gladu addressed journalists in the foyer of Parliament, emphasizing the urgent need for legal reforms to address this pervasive form of domestic abuse.
Coercive control refers to a pattern of behaviour that isolates, intimidates, and regulates the daily activities of an intimate partner. Unlike physical violence, these tactics can be more difficult to detect and prosecute under current Canadian law.
Understanding Coercive Control
Experts define coercive control as a strategic form of ongoing oppression that includes isolation from friends and family, monitoring movements, controlling finances, and psychological manipulation. The committee's report highlights how these behaviours create an environment of fear and dependency that can be as damaging as physical abuse.
The proposed legislation would create specific criminal offences for coercive control, allowing law enforcement to intervene before relationships escalate to physical violence. Several other countries, including the United Kingdom and parts of Australia, have already implemented similar laws with positive results.
Political Momentum Building
The push to criminalize coercive behaviour has gained cross-party support, with advocates arguing that current laws fail to adequately protect victims of psychological abuse. The committee's report includes testimony from survivors, legal experts, and law enforcement officials who described the limitations of existing legal frameworks.
Marilyn Gladu stressed that the legislation would fill a critical gap in Canada's response to domestic violence. "For too long, victims of coercive control have fallen through the cracks of our justice system," she stated during the press conference.
The federal government has not yet indicated when or if it plans to reintroduce the bill, which previously failed to pass through Parliament before the last session ended. Advocates are hopeful that the committee's strong recommendations will prompt swift action.
