Background on the Promise

During his campaign for prime minister, Mark Carney, as Liberal Party leader, included commitments to enhance public safety in his platform. Specifically, he promised to protect victims of sexual violence and intimate partner violence as part of a broader plan to reduce crime and build safer communities. This promise was outlined in announcements emphasizing cracking down on gangs, securing borders, and addressing the rising rates of intimate partner violence, which affects one in three women in Canada over their lifetimes.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Since assuming office in March 2025 and securing election victory in April 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has faced scrutiny over its approach to this promise. In April 2025, prior to the election, Carney released a public safety plan that explicitly promised to reduce intimate partner violence by tackling illegal guns and drugs crossing the border and strengthening community safety measures. However, one of the first major actions was the elimination of approximately one-third of cabinet positions, including the dedicated Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth (WAGE). This move has been widely criticized by women's organizations and human rights groups as a setback for addressing gender-based violence, including sexual and intimate partner violence.

Northern women's organizations have called for the reinstatement of a dedicated WAGE minister, arguing that the absence of such a role sends a dangerous signal amid rising gender-based violence. Additionally, in July 2025, the family of a victim killed in an intimate partner violence incident in Kelowna, B.C., wrote to Prime Minister Carney urging changes to the federal justice system's handling of such crimes, highlighting ongoing concerns and the need for federal action.

Legislation Proposed or Passed

No new federal legislation specifically targeting the protection of victims of sexual violence and intimate partner violence has been proposed or passed under the Carney government as of August 29, 2025. Prior to Carney's tenure, on March 7, 2025, the previous administration announced prohibitions on additional assault-style firearms and measures to combat intimate partner violence involving firearms. However, this occurred before Carney was sworn in as prime minister on March 14, 2025, so it cannot be attributed to his government.

Advocates and experts have suggested the creation of a new federal minister responsible solely for the prevention of violent crime, including sexual and intimate partner violence, to reverse rising trends. An independent review in British Columbia in June 2025 recommended declaring gender-based violence an epidemic, but this has not led to federal legislative action under Carney. The government's focus has instead been on broader crime reduction plans, but specific bills addressing victim protection in these areas remain absent.

Progress and Challenges

The promise to protect victims involves outcomes such as reducing incidence rates, improving support systems, and enhancing legal protections. While Carney's pre-election plan acknowledged the epidemic levels of intimate partner and sexual violence, particularly affecting Black and Indigenous Canadians at higher rates, implementation has been limited. The elimination of the WAGE ministry is seen as a step that puts the promise at risk of being broken, as it removes a key advocate for gender equality and violence prevention within cabinet.

For the promise to be considered kept, the government would need to introduce and pass targeted legislation, such as expanding victim support services, reforming bail and justice processes for perpetrators, or reinstating a dedicated ministerial role for gender-based violence. Reinvesting in prevention programs and collaborating with provinces on declarations like British Columbia's proposed epidemic status could also advance this. Conversely, if no new actions are taken by the end of 2025 and violence rates continue to rise without federal intervention, the promise could be deemed broken. Current efforts appear preliminary, with calls for a dedicated violence prevention minister indicating that substantive work is not yet started on key structural changes.

Overall Status

This promise is in progress.