Quebec Solidaire proposes new legislation to fight sexual violence in primary and secondary schools – Montreal | 24CA News
Quebec Solidaire (QS) is proposing new laws with the intention to forestall and combat towards sexual violence in faculties.
While a framework prevention legislation has existed for CEGEPs and universities since 2017, major and secondary faculties have been omitted.
The social gathering held a news convention on Sunday to stipulate its plan, which has garnered help from the Quebec Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois (PQ).
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Ruba Ghazal, Quebec Solidaire Education spokesperson speaks throughout a news convention in Montreal, Sunday, April 30, 2023, the place she spoke in regards to the invoice she tabled on the National Assembly regarding sexual violence in faculties.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
The laws, titled Bill 397, was first offered on Thursday by QS MNA Ruba Ghazal, following a request from La voix des jeunes compte, a collective of younger folks with a mandate to combat sexual violence in faculties.
The new proposed legislation requires the adoption of a coverage to forestall and fight sexual violence in all establishments, from preschool to highschool, together with vocational coaching and grownup schooling facilities.
The coverage, as described, should embrace prevention and consciousness measures, necessary annual trainings for administration and employees, and an in depth grievance course of, amongst different issues.
READ MORE: Eastern Townships highschool going through a number of sexual violence complaints
The presence of sexual violence companies or a sexual violence contact particular person would even be required in all faculties.
Advocacy teams have been calling for framework laws for 5 years.
This is the second time Quebec Solidaire has tried to cross a invoice to forestall and fight sexual violence in schooling. The earlier one, launched in October 2021 by MNA Christine Labrie, ran out of runway when the election was referred to as and the docket was wiped.
“This bill is ‘take two’,” stated Official Opposition critic for Education and Liberal MNA for Saint-Laurent, Marwah Rizqy.
“It is the second time it’s being tabled, the second time we’re supporting it, my political party, because we must go even further,” she added.
Rizqy recalled that her former Liberal colleague, Hélène David, had tabled the same framework for CEGEPs and universities in 2017, when she was Minister liable for Higher Education. “It works,” she stated.
“The justice system is at its breaking point right now,” stated Melanie Lemay, cofounder of the Québec contre les violences sexuelle group. “It’s not true that a judge can tell a school principal how to act, the same goes for the police.”
She added that the schooling minister, CAQ MNA Bernard Drainville, must work with the opposition to “participate in a change of culture.”
“There is often an assumption that if young people are sexually abused, adults will intervene. That’s not true,” she stated. “There have been a lot of cases of violence coming from school staff.”
QS spokesperson Manon Massé says her social gathering is making an attempt to right a “blind spot.” She says that, as early as 2017, when the legislation to combat towards sexual violence in post-secondary establishments was adopted, “there was a big piece missing.”
“We know that more than half of victims of sexual offences recorded by the police are minors, it doesn’t make sense that we don’t have any framework law to protect young people in primary and secondary school,” she stated.
As for the PQ, spokesperson Méganne Perry-Mélançon stated the invoice is an “important step in the process that La voix des jeunes compte started five years ago.”
In a press release emailed to The Canadian Press, the workplace of the Minister of Education says it is vitally delicate to the problems of sexual violence in faculties.
“La voix des jeunes compte was heard during special consultations in 2022 on the (Quebec) National Student Protection bill, which includes a comprehensive section on sexual violence,” the workplace stated.
It added that the legislation was adopted final June and {that a} part offers for “mandatory training activities for management and staff members, as well as safety measures to counter sexual violence”— which can come into drive on Sept. 15.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
