Manitoba judges would have to take training on domestic violence, racism under new bill

Manitoba may soon require new provincial court judges to take continuing education on intimate partner violence, sexual assault, systemic racism and other topics.

A bill now before the legislature would require judges to undergo the learning, which would also cover the experiences of Indigenous and LGBTQ+ persons in the justice system and in society.

The bill is based on one originally proposed in April by Cindy Lamoureux, the lone Liberal in the legislature.

The NDP government did not pass that bill but has now drawn up its own and has Lamoureux's support.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe says unlike a private member's bill, a government bill can come with money needed to ensure it is fully enacted.

The bill may not pass before the end of the legislature session on Nov. 7, as the Opposition Progressive Conservatives rejected a request to forgo normal time frames and speed the bill through the legislature.

"I think it is critical that it gets implemented here in the province of Manitoba as soon as possible," Lamoureux said Wednesday. In a rare show of cross-party solidarity, Lamoureux and Wiebe stood side by side and spoke together to reporters.

Opposition 'open to negotiations'

Lamoureux's bill, informally called Keira's law, was named after Keira Kagan, a young girl who was found dead next to her father's body at the base of a cliff in Milton, Ont., in 2020. A provincial committee found the death was "extremely consistent" with past cases of murder-suicide involving a father and a child.

Lamoureux's bill called for new judges and justices of the peace to undergo training in coercive control in intimate partner and family relationships, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and systemic racism and discrimination.

The government bill introduced Wednesday will add permanent funding for the education and expand it to include the experience of Indigenous persons and LGBTQ persons in the justice system and in society generally.

"Folks know that overrepresentation of Indigenous people in our (justice system) is a focus of our government," Wiebe said. The LBGTQ+ community has "unique experiences" that judges should have an understanding of, he added.

The Progressive Conservatives said they were not shown the bill before being asked to allow it to skip the normal debate time frame in the legislature chamber. The party's house leader, Derek Johnson, said the NDP had months to pass Lamoureux's original bill and did not.

Johnson said the Tories, who have bills of their own they would like to pass before the Nov. 7 deadline, will talk with the other parties.

"We're absolutely open to negotiations," Johnson said.