The provincial member for Windsor West called out the Progressive Conservative government on Thursday, for what she says is the stalling of action on Intimate Partner Violence.
Back in April, Lisa Gretzky introduced Bill 173, the Intimate Partner Violence Act 2024, which was debated and passed second reading with support from all parties.
Hundreds of advocates and survivors were in attendance at the time, but Gretzky says instead of declaring an epidemic immediately, the government sent it to committee, which they have yet to schedule.
This call for action follows the tragic death of a 26-year-old nurse in Belleville last week, who was killed by her former partner.
Gretzky believes we don't need more studies, as the Renfrew County Coroner's Inquest produced recommendations and the important next steps that can be immediately taken to tackle this issue.
She says the government needs to act and provide leadership the way many nearly 100 municipalities in Ontario, including Windsor and the county municipalities, have on IPV.
"The Renfrew County Coroner's Inquest into the death of three women, the government has had those recommendations for almost two years, 75 recommendations that the government could implement today. And they have chosen not to implement them, and the first one was to make the declaration," Gretzky said.
The inquest produced 75 recommendations, things the government could act on today according to Gretzky, but they haven't to this point.
She says the first and most important step is declaring IPV as an epidemic, but adds it's unfortunately not surprising that they haven't.
"It's not shocking to me that the government doesn't want to take reasonability, and they don't really want to take the actions necessary in order to be able to end the cycle of violence and the cycle of deaths that we're seeing in the province. It's really disheartening, and I'll tell you, it's infuriating."
Gretzky says she's been told that there are many members on the government's side of the house that want to see the declaration made, but some powerful members of the government are standing in the way.
"I have been told that, and that it is the Premier and the government House Leader who are holding it up, that are stalling it. If we look at it, those are two men that are holding up declaring violence against women an epidemic in the province, while women are dying," she stated.
The warden of Lanark County has sent a letter to the provincial government, urging them to declare IPV an epidemic before the summer recess, and Gretzky says time is running out as it's now just two weeks away.