'I cannot believe that it happens here in Quebec,' Legault says, condemning woman's stabbing death
Quebec Premier Francois Legault says that, as the leader of the province, he's horrified by the news of 24-year-old Romane Bonnier's death in downtown Montreal on Tuesday.
"I cannot believe that it happens here in Quebec," Legault said.
"Of course, as a premier of Quebec, I don't like to see that and hear that."
Bonnier, a singer, was stabbed to death in broad daylight on a street a block away from McGill University as many students and passersby watched.
Her ex-roommate and onetime boyfriend, 36-year-old Francois Pelletier, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Months ago, as Quebec was already seeing a very sharp rise in the number of femicides -- murders of women for gender-based reasons, usually by romantic partners or exes -- Legault condemned such violence in strong terms.
"There is nothing masculine... about violence towards women. On the contrary, it's exactly the opposite. I find that to be very cowardly," he said at the time.
On Thursday, he sounded shaken, saying the province is trying to find solutions but it's difficult to know what to do.
"I think it's terrible, especially what happened with this woman on the street," he said, responding to a question about two fatal stabbings this week in Montreal (the other of which killed a 16-year-old boy).
"We already announced a lot of additional money for... women that suffer at home. They can live in new places," he said. "But, of course, it's not easy to make sure that it doesn't happen."
NEW PROGRAMS, BUT FEW ANSWERS
The last two years have seen a huge surge of such tragedies, helping prompt Quebec to create its first-ever emergency fund that women can use to pay for things like taxis when they need to escape violence.
Bonnier was the 17th woman to die so far in 2021 in Quebec in a domestic or gender-related murder.
The 16th died just three weeks ago, when 44-year-old Anna Uitangak was found unconscious in her home in Puvirnituq, in Quebec's northern Nunavik region, according to media reports at the time.
This year is on pace to be even worse than last year, which reached a shocking total of 21 such murders.
In 2019, by comparison, there were 11. The previous yearly average was generally about 12 per year.
Despite Legault's strong words, his government has also faced heavy criticism on the issue. He took heat for largely leaving domestic violence out of this year's budget, with the province quickly correcting that with an additional $222 million announced this April, partly for women's shelters.
Legault said Thursday that the province has introduced some other new programs to try get women out of danger.
There's a gun-related program in conjunction with police, he said, to "put in place a special group that will try to reduce the use of [certain] guns."
EMERGENCY FUND NOW AVAILABLE 24/7
He didn't mention another program that was introduced last week, when the province announced an emergency fund to help people flee domestic violence.
Advocates had called for the fund, saying women face the most serious risk of attack when they try to leave a partner, and they sometimes lack money for things like a taxi or a night in a hotel that would help them get quickly to safety.
“That point… is the most dangerous point," one Montreal shelter director, Melpa Kamateros, told CTV News.
The new fund will be administered by SOS lines and service providers already in touch with the women, such as police officers and shelters, who will be able to contact the emergency financial assistance administrators and release money seven days a week, at any time of the day or night.
Some other provinces have created similar emergency funds and seen them used heavily.
In Alberta, in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, money from the fund was provided to about 3,550 people trying to "escape an abusive relationship," Alberta provincial spokesperson Justin Marshall told CTV. Total costs were $3.5 million.
In its announcement last week, Quebec didn't provide the total amount of the fund. It said it would begin with availability only in Laval and Montérégie before being rolled out to the rest of the province.
--With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.