Based on coverage from CBC and CP24.
Newfoundland and Labrador has officially declared gender-based violence an epidemic, a move the province says is meant to match the urgency many survivors and advocates have been calling for.
At a press conference Wednesday in front of MHAs, police, and women’s groups, Minister of Women and Gender Equality Lela Evans called it a “monumental” and emotional day, framing the declaration as a shift toward prevention rather than endless crisis response.
Newfoundland and Labrador declares epidemic
Evans said gender-based violence has a systemic, pervasive impact across communities, and argued it will not be resolved without addressing root causes. Premier Tony Wakeham said the declaration sends a message to survivors: “We see you, we believe you, and your safety matters,” calling the issue a widespread crisis affecting families, workplaces, and communities.
The Canadian Press also notes Newfoundland and Labrador is following other jurisdictions, including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, in making the epidemic declaration.
12-member task force set for fall report
The province is creating a 12-person task force made up of government and community advocates. Evans said the group will deliver a report in the fall, and stressed the province will start work before the task force finishes, saying it will not be a drawn-out, multi-year process.
According to The Canadian Press, the task force will include representation from government, survivors, and Indigenous women.
Advocates McGrath and Lake join effort
Two advocates with lived experience, Georgina McGrath and Lisa Lake, will sit on the task force. McGrath, who has spoken publicly about intimate partner violence, said she has been “waiting for this day for a very, very long time,” and wants to see stronger laws around strangulation and more education.
Lake, whose daughter Cortney Lake has been missing since June 7, 2017, said violence against women is an epidemic and “something needs to be done.”
Awareness campaign launching across province
Evans said the government will roll out a violence prevention awareness campaign this summer, including posters already being distributed. The goal is to help people recognize warning signs, encourage speaking up, and “build a culture of respect.”
The Canadian Press adds the announcement comes days after a jury found a Newfoundland man guilty of first-degree murder in the 2016 disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Hillier-Penney, and comes against the backdrop of the Nova Scotia mass shooting inquiry’s conclusion that gender-based and intimate partner violence are an epidemic in Canada.
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