Another step forward to amending the Criminal Code surrounding intimate partner violence was made on June 9.
Bailey’s Law passed its second reading in the Senate.
The act, Bill C-225, was first presented to the House of Commons by B.C. member of parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola, Frank Caputo, after a Kelowna woman, Bailey McCourt, was attacked in broad daylight outside her workplace on July 4, 2025. McCourt’s estranged ex-husband, James Plover, has been charged with first-degree murder for her death and is awaiting trial. Bill C-225 passed its third reading in the House on April 27.
“The extremely sad part of this story is that hours before the fatal attack that took Bailey’s life, her husband was in a Kelowna courtroom, where he was convicted of domestic violence charges, which were assault by strangulation and uttering threats,” said Senator Fabian Manning on June 9.
Manning told the Senate that less than 10 per cent of intimate partner violence cases in Canada are reported.
“Intimate partner violence is all about control, and that is the major factor behind the development of Bill C-225,” Manning added.
Changes the act would make include murder charges in cases of intimate partner violence with a history of coercion be charged as first degree, that manslaughter charges in cases of intimate partner violence come with life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 10 years if found guilty.
“In response to the scourge of intimate partner violence in Canada today, the passage of this bill would hold repeat offenders, strengthen our justice system’s response to cases of intimate partner violence and protect, in a more substantial way, the victims of such,” said Manning.
The senator said intimate partner violence spans worldwide, and having a daughter and granddaughter while watching the number of cases and level of violence grow, Manning added, he will continue to stand up for victims and proudly sponsor the bill.
“I am constantly reminded of the words of former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, which I will read in this chamber once again: Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. And, it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.”
The bill is best known as Bailey’s Law to honour McCourt and “to ensure Bailey’s family, especially her two children, know that Bailey’s life on this earth was not in vain.”