Doug Ford blames bail system in wake of Ontario’s decision not to declare intimate partner violence epidemic

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford is defending the province’s decision to reject a call to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic, instead blaming the federal government for what he deems the failure of the justice system.

The province on Wednesday refused the first recommendation from a coroner’s inquest that examined the deaths of three women murdered by a mutual ex-partner in a rural region near Ottawa nearly eight years ago. The government argued the term epidemic is reserved for the spread of an infectious or communicable disease, not violence against women – a decision condemned by anti-violence advocacy groups.

Mr. Ford on Thursday directed his ire toward the federal government – specifically on bail reform – and said the killer, Basil Borutski, should not have been released into the community.

Mr. Ford incorrectly said Mr. Borutski was on bail at the time of the murders, but he was actually on probation for a violent offence, meaning the offence was part of his sentencing order and he was required to meet certain conditions under provincial supervision.

Mr. Borutski had a history of violence against women and been deemed high-risk in multiple assessments. Despite that, he flouted court orders without consequence, continued to own weapons and skipped his mandated group counselling program. He was ultimately convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.

“The justice system failed, once again, letting people out that have a serious, violent criminal background,” Mr. Ford said Thursday at an unrelated announcement in Brantford, Ont.

“They give him a little slap on the wrist, they put him out there. And what happens? He goes out and kills three innocent women. Unacceptable. These guys should be locked in jail, and the key should be thrown away.”

Diana Ebadi, a spokesperson for Justice Minister David Lametti, said the federal government has made a number of “important reforms” to improve and strengthen the justice system. She said the office is reviewing the jury’s recommendations made to the federal government and will share its response by mid-August as requested by the coroner’s office.

“Victims and survivors of intimate partner violence deserve a justice system that treats them with dignity and respect, and holds offenders accountable. Minister Lametti is focused on doing what he can to improve the system, and provide direct help to those experiencing intimate partner violence,” Ms. Ebadi said.

Mr. Ford and his fellow premiers have been calling on the federal government to strengthen the justice system to prevent repeat violent offenders from being released.

Ottawa introduced a “targeted” bail reform bill this spring that focuses on serious repeat offenders, but it has yet to pass.

Declaring an epidemic was the first of 86 action items put forward by the coroner’s jury a year ago, after an inquest into the murders of Carol Culleton, Nathalie Warmerdam and Anastasia Kuzyk in Renfrew County. The three women were killed at their homes during a shooting rampage across the Ottawa Valley on Sept. 22, 2015.

Pamela Cross, a lawyer who provided testimony at the inquest, said Mr. Ford’s comments do not address the tenor of the recommendations, which focused primarily on prevention.

The provincial government accepted – in full or in part – the majority of the recommendations, but rejected several, including the creation of a committee to ensure the inquest’s recommendations are implemented.

But anti-violence advocates noted that in many of cases where government accepted recommendations, they cited policies or programs that were already in place, rather than outlining new funding or commitments.

Johise Namwira, a spokesperson for Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality, said Ottawa has invested more than half a billion dollars in a national action plan to end gender-based violence and is working with each province and territory to put in place bilateral agreements to implement the plan.