Nouvelle Loi au Manitoba (810 bonifié)

Manitoba widens domestic violence law
Last Updated Sat, 05 Nov 2005 16:45:07 EST

CBC News
Manitoba residents suffering from dating violence can ask for protection orders under a new law that came into force Friday.

Under the old legislation, only those who had been living together could apply for such protection. The amended Domestic Violence and Stalking Act now extends to those who are only dating.


Jeff Gindin
Protection orders are also easier to get, sometimes even over the telephone and can oblige an offender to get counselling.

"I don't believe this issue has received the public attention it deserves," said Manitoba Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh.

"There has been a recent U.S. study from Harvard University that indicates that one in five girls have suffered physical or sexual dating violence."

Mackintosh says Manitoba is the first province to put such legislation in place.

A protection order can prohibit the people named from coming to the victims' homes or workplaces and following or communicating with them. It may also force them to turn over any weapons they may have.

People who work with victims of physical and sexual abuse applaud the changes. But defence lawyers say the law could face challenges under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because the person the order is granted against is considered guilty before been given a chance to mount a defence.

"It's a little vague, because there are some things that aren't defined clearly. It's now extended beyond what it was extended to before to include dating relationships. What does that mean?" said Jeff Gindin, past president of the Manitoba Defence Lawyers Association.

"Maybe there was one date or a cup of coffee. That's suddenly sufficient to allow someone to get an order against someone without the usual hearing or chance to object, because there's a lot of shortcuts in this act, making it easier to get protection and prevention orders, and there are dangers with that because the other side doesn't get their chance to get their say."

Mackintosh says the new legislation complies with the charter.

But Conservative justice critic Kelvin Goertzen said the legislation will only be effective if the protection orders are enforced.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/11/04/protectionorders-051104.html

Retournons 1 an en arrière...


La cour rend un jugement qui inquiète les regroupements de femmes.

(Émission du 8 avril 2004)

Regardez le reportage du Manitoba Ce soir.

Le juge John Scurfield invalide une partie de la loi sur la violence familiale. En gros, les victimes qui demandent des ordonnances de protection à la cour devront désormais prouver qu'elles sont harcelées ou menacées. Avant, l'ordonnance était émise et c'était à l'agresseur de prouver son innocence. Les victimes devront maintenant témoigner contre leur agresseur quand il contestera l'ordonnance de protection. M. Scurfield exige aussi dans ce document que les juges se basent sur des faits, et non sur des allégations, pour accorder une ordonnance de protection.

Cette décision découle d'une cause opposant deux résidants de Fisher Branch. Une femme accusait son voisin de harcèlement. Mais l'homme a contesté l'ordonnance pour des raisons constitutionnelles.

Les organismes à la défense des femmes comme Réseau Action s'inquiètent que cette modification décourage les femmes de porter plainte.

Rappelons que cette loi avait été adoptée par le Manitoba à la suite du meurtre de Rhonda Lavoie en 1995. Après plusieurs années de menaces et de violence conjugale, cette femme avait été tuée par son mari, Roy Lavoie, alors en libération conditionnelle.

La Province étudie présentement la nouvelle version de la loi. Elle pourrait porter la décision en appel au cours des prochains jours.

Chose certaine, les femmes n'ont pas l'intention de baisser les bras.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Manitoba/Tele/Chroniques/csmb080404violenceetcour_15451.shtml

Manitoba expands scope of domestic violence law
CTV.ca News Staff

Victims of dating violence can now apply for protection orders under a new law that has come into force in Manitoba.

"There will be protection for people in dating relationships," said Christine Melnick, Manitoba's family services and housing minister.

Under the previous legislation, only those who had been living together could apply for such protection.

"Any broadening out of legislation to protect victims is a step in the right direction," said Art Lepp, whose daughter Cory was murdered by an ex-boyfriend five years ago.

While many crisis workers are pleased to see these amendments to the province's Domestic Violence and Stalking Prevention, Protection and Compensation Act, some say women who may be in danger should be prepared to take charge whether or not they have a protection order in hand.

"Women have to do safety planning and protection planning if they feel they are threatened and if they are threatened, to take those threats seriously, it's a piece of paper that's the reality," Bernice Getty, of the North End Women's Centre told CTV Winnipeg.

According to Manitoba Justice, protection orders may include any of the following provisions necessary for immediate protection:

Prohibit the respondent from coming to the applicant's home or workplace or that of other specified persons
Prohibit the respondent from following the applicant or others
Prohibit the respondent from contacting or communicating with the applicant or others, directly or indirectly
Give the applicant or respondent possession of necessary personal effects
Provide peace officer assistance to remove the respondent from premises and/or to ensure the orderly removal of personal effects, and
Require the respondent to turn over weapons and authorize the police to search for and seize weapons
But some critics say the legislation is too broad.

Instead of going before a judge and arguing for a protection order, women can now get it the same day by seeing a justice of the peace the same day -- no questions asked.

The man isn't made aware of it until later. Winnipeg defence lawyer Jeff Gindin says the new law could step on Charter rights.

"You can have a complaint of some kind and you can get this thing -- without notice, without a hearing, without having to justify it with evidence," he told CTV News.

Men's rights advocate Roger Townsend of the Ottawa Men's Centre said: "My concern is that the prejudice is so extreme that I can't understand that such a crazy law was passed."

Manitoba officials say U.S. studies show one out of five women has suffered physical or sexual abuse while dating.

With a report from CTV's Jill Macyshon

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051105/manitoba_dating_0511015/20051105?hub=CTVNewsAt11