The Quebec government says it will table legislation in the coming days that would allow people in relationships to find out if their partner has a history of domestic violence.
The law would be based on Clare’s Law, which already exists in the United Kingdom and several Canadian provinces.
The law originated in the U.K. and is named after Clare Wood, a woman who was murdered in 2009 by a partner she didn’t know had a violent criminal history.
There has been a push in Quebec to adopt a similar law since the murder last year of Gabie Renaud, allegedly by a partner with a long domestic violence history.
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Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière said that the bill’s text is being finalized, and that the government hopes to adopt it in the upcoming session of the Quebec legislature with the support of the opposition parties.
An open letter in favour of the law signed by some 600 people last month said there had already been eight femicides in Quebec this year as of April 10.
Several provinces have adopted similar legislation, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.
According to the RCMP’s website, the law generally takes the form of a statute “authorizing a police service to disclose certain risk-related information to a current or former intimate partner where such information could assist the current or former partner in making informed decisions about their safety and the relationship.”
Premier Christine Fréchette committed to introducing similar legislation during her campaign for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec party. She also promised to give additional resources to shelters and organizations that help women who are victims of domestic violence.
The legislature begins sitting on Tuesday for up to five weeks before it adjourns for the summer. There is a provincial election scheduled for October.
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