MONTREAL -- Conservative Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu is introducing a bill to better monitor men accused of domestic abuse abuse while they are awaiting trial, including the wearing of an ankle bracelet.
Boisvenu, who represents Quebec, is expected to table the legislation Tuesday in the Senate.
The bill would amend the Criminal Code to allow a judge to impose the wearing of an electronic monitoring bracelet on a person accused of domestic violence and to issue an order for domestic violence therapy, both of which would be done prior to a trial.
He said this approach is inspired by a series of femicides of the last few weeks.
Sen. Boisvenu believes giving judges these abilities would ensure the safety of women who are victims of domestic violence.
His bill would also create a new two-year protection order that would be "domestic violence specific."
Sen. Boisvenu would also like the legislation to ensure that the victim is informed by the courts when the abuser is released and of the conditions to which the abuser would be subject.
He believes that an ankle bracelet and therapy would address this problem better than a prison sentence. According to him, victims feel that incarceration only serves to anger the accused.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2021.
