Georgina’s Law

Summary#

This bill, called Georgina’s Law, keeps national action going to prevent and address intimate partner violence. It puts the Minister for Women and Gender Equality in charge of leading this work, meeting with key partners, and reporting results to Parliament and the public.

• Requires the Minister to continue leading a national effort to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence.
• Sets yearly meetings with other federal ministers and provincial ministers responsible for the status of women.
• Calls for regular engagement with Indigenous partners, victims and survivors, and other stakeholders.
• Focuses talks on how well current programs work, partnerships, costs, and any legal or jurisdiction issues.
• Engagement must start within one year of the law taking effect.
• Requires a public progress report every two years, tabled in Parliament and posted online within 30 days.

What it means for you#

• Survivors and families

  • Your voices are to be heard through regular engagement led by the federal government.
  • You may see services become better coordinated over time.
  • The bill does not promise new benefits right away.

• Indigenous communities and organizations

  • Commits to ongoing, formal engagement on prevention, protection, and support.
  • Creates a channel to raise concerns about what is working and what is not.

• Service providers and advocates

  • More regular chances to share frontline experience and help shape programs.
  • Could lead to more consistent partnerships across regions.
  • The bill does not set new funding; it focuses on coordination and reporting.

• Provinces (and their status-of-women ministers)

  • Annual federal–provincial meetings on program adequacy, partnerships, costs, and roles.
  • No new mandates on provinces, but more structured coordination. (Territories are not named in the bill.)

• General public

  • You will be able to read national progress reports online every two years.
  • No changes to criminal law, policing, or court processes are made by this bill.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

• The bill sets duties for meetings and public reports but does not set any funding amounts.
• These duties would create some administrative costs within the federal department.
• Any bigger spending decisions would need separate approvals outside this bill.

Proponents' View#

• Keeps a national focus on intimate partner violence by making ongoing action a legal duty.
• Improves coordination across governments and with Indigenous partners, survivors, and service groups.
• Increases transparency and accountability through regular public reports to Parliament.
• Flexible approach that can adapt as needs change, without heavy new rules.
• Likely low cost compared to potential benefits like better prevention and support.

Opponents' View#

• Sets process but not outcomes; lacks concrete programs, targets, or dedicated funding.
• May duplicate existing strategies and tables already working on this issue.
• Adds administrative work for governments and community groups to attend meetings and provide input.
• Could blur federal–provincial roles in areas like services and policing.
• Reporting every two years may feel too slow given the urgency of the problem.