Deaths should 'bring about the change' needed to stop intimate partner violence, friend of victims says

City councillors in Sault Ste. Marie voted unanimously in favour of declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic at a meeting on Monday night.

Last Monday, 44-year-old Bobbie Hallaert shot and killed four people, including three children, before killing himself. Another woman was taken to hospital as a result of the incident.

Police have called the killings a case of intimate partner violence.

The father of one of the victims, 41-year-old Angie Sweeney, spoke to city councillors Monday night.

"This city will never be the same for the person she was," Brian Sweeney said. "She was never afraid to help anybody. Even if they were strangers, she'd help them."

Sweeney said he believes intimate partner violence is an epidemic.

"It's been going on and on and on, and no one seems to be paying attention," he said.

"There's gotta be a new way for the police to handle these types of scenarios so this never happens again. Because the pain is so overwhelming, I wouldn't wish this upon anybody. So I recommend to all the cities and communities across Ontario to declare this for what it is."

Longtime friend of Angie Sweeney, Renee Buczel, also spoke to city councillors.

"Something needs to change because we as a community have experienced the horrifying results of nothing being done and it has forever changed the people of Sault Ste. Marie," she said.

"Our only hope as family and friends who are painfully grieving the loss of our beloved Angie and three innocent souls, is that this brings about the change that this province and country desperately needs, regarding intimate partner violence."

'Not isolated incidents'

The calls to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic come from an inquest in eastern Ontario. In 2015, Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam, were murdered by their former partner. Basil Borutski was convicted of three counts of murder, after repeatedly defying his probation order without reprimand. He had a known history of gender-based violence.

A total of 86 recommendations were made, including calls to the province of Ontario and municipalities to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.

The motion before Sault Ste. Marie city council was put forward by councillors Angela Caputo, Lisa Vezeau-Allen and Sandra Hollingsworth.

"I want to be very clear: the horrific events that led to the femicide of Angie Sweeney and the murder of three children we lost are not isolated incidents," Caupto said.

"The Ontario government under Premier Ford has stated that they do not want to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic because they say the definition of epidemic relates to disease. Yet, the World Health Organization says violence against women, particularly intimate partner violence and sexual abuse, is a major public health concern."

Councillor Sonny Spina said he agreed change is needed.

"We need to demand change and we need to demand action," he said.

"It's not enough for us to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that we're shocked every time we hear of these things because we're not."

'Broad lens'

Ontario was the subject of most of the inquest jury's 86 recommendations. The province didn't accept all of them and rejected eight, including formally declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic.

The province continues to face calls to make the declaration, including during Question Period at Queen's Park on Monday, where several New Democrat MPPs called on the province to take action.

Ontario's solicitor general Michael Kerzner responded by saying intimate partner violence is a serious matter.

"But symbolism does not affect change," he said. 

"And that's why we know that this is an all systems partner that will be engaged. And we're taking a broad lens. I said last week Mr. Speaker, there are concrete things we are doing."

Kerzner says those actions include giving grants to victim service organizations.