Bill 34 (The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act)
Second Reading

From Hansard (12 November 2025)

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Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to move second reading of The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act. As we have said on this side of the House many times before and we will continue to say, there is no place for violence in our province. Sadly violence can take place in many forms, and it has evolved with technology over time. This bill responds to our greater understanding of how interpersonal violence is occurring in our communities today.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will amend The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act by adding two new categories to the definition of interpersonal violence. The first category is conduct that constitutes “a pattern of coercive or controlling behaviour.” Coercive and controlling behaviour, often referred to as coercive control, is a pattern of behaviour that seeks to take away a person’s freedom and sense of self. It can include strictly controlling someone’s finances, closely monitoring their activities, and preventing them from seeing family and friends.

Coercive control is a predictor of future physical violence in a home, Mr. Speaker. By including it in the definition of interpersonal violence, victims can seek help before violence escalates.

The second category is “cyberstalking or online harassment.” Mr. Speaker, the reality is that tools designed to keep people or their belongings safe, such as tracking tags and cell phone monitoring apps, can also be abused to harass, intimidate, and stalk victims. This bill makes clear that victims of cyberstalking and online harassment can access the same protections as victims of other kinds of interpersonal violence.

Mr. Speaker, by adding these terms to the definition, we believe that the protections in The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act, such as emergency intervention orders and certificates to end fixed-term tenancies, will be used more often by people in our province. Violence is never okay. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes, and our government encourages anyone facing violence to seek the help they need.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to move second reading of The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act.

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