Advocacy group named for murdered woman hoping to hear more about domestic violence during federal election

A northern Ontario advocacy group raising awareness about intimate partner violence wants to see the issue become more of a focus in the federal election campaign.

Angie's Angels was founded following the murder of 41-year-old Angie Sweeney and three children in Sault Ste. Marie on October 2023. The victims had been shot and killed by Sweeney's partner Bobbie Hallaert, who also killed himself.

During the police investigation, it was discovered that Hallaert had a history of domestic violence and assaulting police. Angie's Angels, made up of Sweeneys' friends and family, has been calling for changes to the justice system when it comes to repeat offenders and gun control laws.

Renee Buczel, a close friend of Sweeney's and co-founder of Angie's Angels, wants to hear more candidates in his federal election talking about how to keep families safer.

"I think every party should be on board. There's no reason that they shouldn't be," said Buczel. 

"It shouldn't be up for debate, right? The safety of our women and our children should matter to whoever is in charge."

During a campaign stop in Trois-Rivières, Que. on April 4, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre announced his party's plans to address intimate partner violence (IPV) if they form government.

The party is promising to create a new offence called "assault of an intimate partner," which would come with tougher sentences for those who assault their partners, their children or their partner's children.

Poilievre has also reiterated his party's earlier calls for a "three strike" approach, that would see anyone convicted of three serious offences denied parole, bail, house arrest or probation.

The Conservative Leader spoke of these promises when his campaign came through Sault Ste. Marie this week. Following a rally in the city, Buczel and other members of Angie's Angels spoke with Poilievre about Sweeney's murder and pleaded for changes to the law.

"We were interested to see how he was going to receive that, knowing that you're in a community that's been so directly impacted by IPV and now you're advocating for that and you're putting that on your platform," said Buczel. 

"We wanted him to have a chance to look at us and tell us: 'Yes, I am going to fight for change. I am here for that.'"

Buczel said their message was well received by the Conservative Leader and he promised them "change is coming."

Are proposed changes to bail reform constitutional?

While Conservative proposals to reform bail and make sentences tougher for repeat offenders may sound appealing to some, legal experts are questioning if they could actually make it happen. 

"I don't think it's constitutional," said Adam Weisberg, vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers Association of Canada.

Weisberg argues the legal reforms the Conservatives are pitching may not be realistic. He adds there are larger societal factors at play when it comes to people committing crimes, and not all criminal offences warrant the tougher penalties that Poilievre is proposing.

"I think these ideas where you don't look at contextual factors in the individual circumstances and the accused…You get unintended consequences," said Weisberg.