Marking 10 years since the CKW Murders: Remembering, Reflecting, and Continuing the Work
(CBC News)
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the murders of Nathalie Warmerdam, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Carol Culleton, three women killed in one day by the same man in what became one of Ontario’s most horrific cases of intimate partner violence (IPV).
While a decade has passed, the push for meaningful change in how we prevent and respond to gender-based violence is far from over.
Real momentum didn’t begin until three years ago, following the landmark CKW inquest, which resulted in 86 recommendations aimed at improving safety for women.
Much of the work since then has been led by grassroots advocates and community organizations. Notably, 106 municipalities across Ontario have now declared IPV an epidemic, a critical step in acknowledging the scope of this prevalent issue.
Feminist lawyer and women’s advocate, Pamela Cross, has spoken about how change is happening, even if slowly. On the Silence Broken podcast, she noted encouraging signs of progress: “We are seeing more police forces, and more media outlets using the language of ‘this was an intimate partner violence incident’ or ‘this was an act of femicide’.
Silence Broken also featured a powerful 86-week series, hosted by Bob Perreault, with Erin Lee, Executive Director of Lanark County Interval House. Each week, they discussed one of the CKW inquest’s 86 recommendations, a sustained and thoughtful effort to keep the conversation going, educate the public, and push for real change.
Together, we call on the provincial government to fully implement the outstanding recommendations and to engage in ongoing, meaningful consultations with survivors and advocates, so we can carry their names forward as a powerful reminder and a call to action to create a safer future for all.
Additional Resources:
Silence Broken: Reflecting on Renfrew County femicide anniversary and ongoing call for change
10 years after Renfrew County triple femicide
Grassroots work leads to change 10 years after Renfrew County triple femicide