An Ontario NDP MPP says it is “shameful” that the Ford government failed to support a now-defeated opposition bid to improve the tracking of sexual assault cases in court.
Catherine Fife, the NDP MPP for Waterloo, saw her proposed law to mandate the government to pay closer attention to trends and outcomes in criminal sexual assault trials voted down by the Progressive Conservatives.
The proposal — named Lydia’s Law — would have looked to strengthen accountability and transparency over how cases are handled, the NDP said, including enacting auditor general recommendations to better report on delays.
Among other measures, it would also make the government review its Victim Quick Response Program and report the results of that review.
Data from the Ontario court system show that 1,326 sexual assault cases were withdrawn before trial in 2022. The next year, 1,171 were withdrawn before trial.
Fife said her suggestions were about enforcing the bare minimum.
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“Lydia’s Law essentially would just ensure that the attorney general did his damn job and tracked those cases, followed up with counselling and followed up legal supports,” she told reporters.
The Ministry of the Attorney General, however, contended it was already working on improving how sexual assault trials are handled in Ontario.
“Victims and survivors of crime deserve to be treated with dignity,” a spokesperson said in a statement that listed various spending commitments.
“That is why our government is working with our partners and taking action to support victims, strengthen access to justice, and ensure serious offences are prosecuted vigorously, timely, and effectively.”
When the bill was voted down on Thursday, Attorney General Doug Downey — who has been travelling all week — wasn’t in the chamber.
“Shame on the Attorney General for not showing up, for not speaking to the survivors and for not even showing up for the vote,” Fife said. “This is a government that displays their disrespect for women in Ontario every single day, and we’re not going to give up.”
Downey’s office said he had been away from Toronto making announcements, including a visit to Ottawa.
Thursday’s defeat wasn’t the NDP’s first attempt to pass Lydia’s Law.
The proposed private members’ bill was labelled Lydia’s Law, named after a young Ontario woman who was sexually assaulted and embroiled in lengthy and difficult court proceedings.
Back in May 2024, a group of advocates and sexual assault survivors came to Queen’s Park expecting to see the bill debated, only for the government to send it to committee, where it died when the February 2025 election was called.
At the time, the government house leader said he was “absolutely not” killing the legislation, which has now been defeated.
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