Renee Lilley
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Portage Graphic Leader
Manitobans who suspect an intimate partner may have a history of violence can now access police records under a new provincial law that advocates say will save lives.
The Manitoba government officially proclaimed Clare’s Law on March 1. The legislation, formally known as the Disclosure to Protect Against Intimate Partner Violence Act, creates a legal framework for individuals to apply for information regarding a partner’s documented history of domestic, family, or sexual violence.
Named after Clare Wood, a British woman murdered by an ex-partner with a hidden criminal past, the law has been adopted in various forms globally. However, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said Manitoba’s version is the first in the world to explicitly mandate connections to community-based supports as part of the disclosure process.
“This legislation outlines a disclose-and-support approach,” Wiebe said. “It enables people at risk to access information and find the support they need to feel safe and protected.”
At Prairie Harbour, a domestic violence shelter in Portage la Prairie, executive director Tara Hayes said the legislation has been anticipated for years. Manitoba currently holds the second-highest rate of intimate partner and family violence among Canadian provinces.
“We’re absolutely ecstatic,” Hayes said. “It’s really going to come into effect to hold people accountable. It is facts… you can have the proof from the RCMP or a domestic violence facility that this person has a long slew of charges behind them.”
The process is strictly regulated. Applications can be made by an individual in a relationship or by a legal guardian of someone at risk. Disclosure is provided verbally and is paired with mandatory safety planning and follow-up resources.
Shelter manager Catherine Jonason noted that the law allows people to act on “red flags” before a situation escalates to physical harm.
“You’re not going to be left on your own,” Jonason said. “There is going to be a safety plan put in place and someone is going to be checking up on you. It’s a more supportive way to address domestic violence.”
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, who is also the minister responsible for women and gender equity, said the “made-in-Manitoba” approach is designed to empower survivors through a trauma-informed lens.
The program is currently operating out of the Family Resolution Service in Winnipeg and virtually, with plans to expand to satellite locations. Training is underway for law enforcement and shelter staff across the province to assist with applications.
Manitobans seeking information or support through Clare’s Law can contact the program at 431-335-1959 or via email at ClaresLaw@gov.mb.ca.
