GUELPH – Intimate partner violence was again a topic of discussion among Wellington County politicians, this time at a March 28 council meeting.
Council was urged by Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis public educator Cindy McMann in February to declare an epidemic of violence within intimate relationships, but local politicians have been reticent. Not so with at least 70 other Ontario municipalities.
At a March county social services committee, some members of council spoke briefly about McMann’s request.
Warden Andy Lennox is concerned the problem – and he does acknowledge it’s a problem – doesn’t fall within the definition of a public health epidemic.
Councillor Gregg Davidson said, “We can tackle some of the lack of spaces for where people can go and be safe,” Davidson said.
“That is where the focus should be, not making it an epidemic.”
The impetus for declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic comes from a 2022 coroner’s inquest into the 2015 murders of three women – Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam – in and around rural Renfrew County.
The inquest resulted in 86 recommendations to help prevent gender-based violence, one of which was to declare an epidemic.
McMann told council treating the issue as a public health concern would help avoid “victim-blaming” and help facilitate understanding of the problem as something passed through generations.
Speaking at the March 28 council meeting, councillor Diane Ballantyne said “tangible steps” are more important than raising the profile of an issue.
“Actionable policy is always going to speak louder than declarations will,” Ballantyne said.
She motioned for staff to report back to council on which of the 86 recommendations stemming from the inquest fall within the county’s responsibility, and to identify resources to respond.
“We need to better understand: where are we already meeting or serving the recommendations that have come out of that report, which ones don’t apply directly to the municipal sphere, and where there are opportunities for us to move forward on those (recommendations),” said Ballantyne.
Councillor Doug Breen said he doesn’t like empty declarations and wants to find out “if, and what, we can do, and actually do something.”
Councillor Matthew Bulmer said he believes fewer than nine of the recommendations will fall within county responsibility, but he noted the staff effort would be worth it if people are indeed helped.
Warden Andy Lennox said the report will be an “important first step.”
