Letter to the Chief Coroner on Inquests into Intimate Partner Violence

West Coast LEAF has written a letter to the BC Chief Coroner’s office calling for an inquest into the femicide of Bailey McCourt, who was violently killed by her estranged husband, and urging them to establish a standing Gender-Based Violence Death Review Committee. 

There is a strong public interest in holding an inquest into Ms. McCourt’s death so that the public can learn about the circumstances surrounding her death, including whether the criminal and family law systems failed to provide her with sufficient protections and support. Moreover, an inquest is necessary in these circumstances because, unlike the criminal process, it could result in systemic recommendations that prevent future intimate partner violence (IPV) femicides.  

West Coast LEAF also supports the recommendation of the 2024 Stanton Report on the BC legal system’s treatment of IPV and sexual violence that the Office of the Chief Coroner establish a standing Gender-Based Violence Death Review Committee. Ms. McCourt’s death is not an isolated incident. IPV- and gender-based violence (GBV) more generally- is an epidemic in BC and throughout Canada. 

We make several recommendations to the Chief Coroner’s office, including: 

• Establishing a Gender-Based Violence Death Review Committee to help lead long overdue efforts to understand the circumstances of IPV deaths in our province and develop robust, whole-of-government and evidence-based approaches to combatting IPV and GBV. 

• Hold an inquest into Ms. McCourt’s death. 

• Make the necessary systemic reforms that could prevent tragic deaths due to IPV femicide from occurring in the first place.   

Read the full letter. (PDF, 256 KB)