Oakville North-Burlington MPP's Keira's Law motion receives royal assent
Legislation that seeks to protect children from domestic violence by better educating those who make crucial decisions on their behalf has received Royal Assent.
Oakville North-Burlington MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos announced Thursday, June 8, Bill-102, which Triantafilopoulos originally brought forward as a private member's motion known as Keira's Law requires newly appointed and existing provincial court judges and justices of the peace to undertake education and training designated by the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice and the Associate Chief Justice Co-ordinator of Justices of the Peace in gender-based intimate partner violence and coercive control.
The Keira's Law motion was named for four-year-old Keira Kagan, who died while on a court-ordered visit with her father, Robin Brown, at Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area in Milton in 2020.
Keira's body was found at the bottom of a cliff, with her father's nearby.
While a coroner was unable to determine whether Keira's death was an accident or a result of a murder-suicide, her mother, Dr. Jennifer Kagan-Viater, has been adamant that her daughter was murdered by Brown as an act of revenge amid a long-standing custody dispute.
Triantafilopoulos said the amendments in Bill-102 will significantly contribute to the safety of women and children in Ontario.
The Keira's Law Motion was in response to the dedicated advocacy of Dr. Jennifer Kagan, a leading voice in protecting women and children from Intimate Partner Violence and Coercive Control," said Triantafilopoulos.
Driven by the tragic loss of her daughter Keira, Dr. Kagan has shone a light on a family court system that failed to acknowledge the relevance of domestic violence in matters of custody and unsupervised access."
The Keira's Law Motion urged the government of Ontario to consult with the public and its partners in the family court system to promote and ensure the availability of continuing education seminars for professionals in Ontario's family court system, including judges, justices of the peace, crown attorneys, custody assessors, and social workers, on matters related to intimate partner violence and coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships.
The Ontario Legislature voted unanimously to approve the motion Nov. 30, 2022.
News of Keira's Law now getting royal asset was well received by Keira's mother.
Keira's Law contained within Bill 102 will have a major impact on the lives of women and children in Ontario," said Kagan.
In educating judges on domestic violence and coercive control, we ensure they make decisions with child safety at the forefront. Lives like Keira's depend on it."
Triantafilopoulos said judges and other court officials will receive training on sexual assault law, intimate partner violence, coercive control, and the social context of systemic racism and discrimination.
By ensuring that professionals within the legal system receive comprehensive education on these matters, the legislation aims to improve understanding, sensitivity, and equitable treatment within the justice system," said the Oakville North-Burlington MPP.
These changes will ensure a consistent approach to the way judges and justices of the peace are educated about gender-based violence and its impacts on children, families, and communities."
This royal assent comes just a few short months after the senate passed Bill C-233, informally known as Keira's Law,' which established and enhanced education seminars for federally appointed judges on matters related to intimate partner violence and coercive control.