St. Catharines MPP says it’s time government dealt with Intimate Partner Violence epidemic

St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens took to the floor today (Oct. 26) at Queen’s Park, telling the government that it’s time to take immediate and decisive action to address the epidemic of Intimate Partner Violence.

“We stand at a crossroads, faced with an epidemic of intimate partner violence. It has stolen a life in Niagara two weeks ago, and just yesterday, Sault Ste. Marie lost five more,” said Stevens.

“The time for half measures and symbolic gestures is over, we are facing a crisis, and we need to act now to save lives.”

The area woman lost to violence to whom Stevens referred was Niagara EMS paramedic Cheryl Kowalik whose body was discovered near her Lincoln home on Oct. 11.

Since that time, Steven said, Niagara Region, Lincoln, West Niagara and municipalities across Ontario have all declared Intimate Partner Violence as an epidemic, underscoring the urgent need for action.

Stevens also pointed to the 88 anti-violence recommendations made by the Renfrew County Inquest, which dealt with the deaths of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam, who were all murdered by their former partner on Sept. 22, 2015, in Renfrew County.

“I stood united last year, across party lines, urging the government to act on the Renfrew County Inquest Recommendations, and the response was silence,” she said.

“Since then, we have moved the government on a few of the recommendations, and that’s simply not enough,” said Stevens.  “We need action on every single recommendation, not just the ones that are convenient.”

“Almost every woman in this chamber carries a similar story,” she said. “We’ve lost mothers, friends, and community members. It’s time to say, no more!”