Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis is sounding the alarm over Bill C-16, arguing the legislation could turn everyday family interactions into criminal offences under a new provision targeting coercive or controlling conduct.
In a post on X, Lewis said the bill would create new Criminal Code offences under Section 264.01 based on a “pattern of coercive or controlling conduct,” even in the absence of violence, threats or other illegal acts.
She warned that ordinary, lawful behaviour could later be reinterpreted as criminal if perceived as threatening by an intimate partner. Among the examples Lewis cited were asking a spouse about their whereabouts after they said they would be home, expressing concern over excessive drinking, disagreeing about finances or spending, asking a partner not to give children junk food, raising concerns about time away from family, and setting household boundaries or expectations.
“These are not crimes. They are part of marriage, parenting, and shared responsibility,” Lewis wrote on X.
While acknowledging the seriousness of coercive control in genuinely abusive relationships, Lewis said existing laws already address clear abuse and violence.
“Bill C-16, as written, opens the door to police intervention in the homes of ordinary families,” she said.