3 years after New Brunswick adopted Clare’s Law, it hasn’t been implemented

A New Brunswick advocate is calling on the government to implement a law that would give people the right to know if their partner has a history of domestic violence, three years after the bill received royal assent.

It was three years ago this week that Colette Martin received a standing ovation in New Brunswick’s legislature.

“I was very emotional, very happy that finally someone was listening,” she said.

On Dec. 16, 2022, Bill 17 — also known as Clare’s Law — received royal assent. It was named after Clare Wood, a United Kingdom woman who was killed by an ex-partner who had a reported history of violence against women.

The bill is intended to give people access to information about whether their partner could pose a safety risk.

“It’ll stop other people from being hurt because, you know, especially with social media and stuff, we don’t know who we meet now,” said Martin.

It’s a deeply personal cause for her. In 1997, Martin was attacked by her ex-partner. According to court documents, he slit her throat and stabbed her multiple times.

She says it was only during the trial that she learned he was previously charged after harming a former girlfriend.

“If I would have had that information, I could have made a decision about my relationship way back when and maybe would have prevented me from almost being murdered,” she said.

Still no action

A report released last week by the Council of Atlantic Premiers was a decade-long analysis of domestic homicides in the region, and found that more than a quarter of all homicide cases in New Brunswick were related to intimate partner violence during that time.

Also, according to the report, the province is still developing regulations, policies and procedures to establish the services for Clare’s Law.

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“Something will happen next month about that, you will see, we can tell you the information at that time,” said Lyne Chantal Boudreau, the minister responsible for Women’s Equality.

She added it’s important for the government to ensure New Brunswickers know the criminal history of people they may be involved with.

However, Martin doesn’t believe there’s enough urgency in implementing change.

“We don’t have the luxury of time. Every day we could be saving lives with this bill. So I think that it’s time that we roll it out,” she said.

In February, several groups, including Survivors United Against Violence and White Ribbon Fredericton, wrote an open letter to Premier Susan Holt calling for the implementation of Clare’s Law.