Open letter calls for law to prevent femicide in Quebec

Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal and other signatories call for a law to prevent further femicides in the province, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (Lila Mouch/Noovo Info)

Hundreds of signatories have joined Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal in calling for a law and other “strong” measures aimed at preventing femicides in the province.

In an open letter published Tuesday morning in La Presse, the signatories directly called on Quebec’s new premier, Christine Fréchette, to act “now” to prevent further tragedies.

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The approximately 600 signatories, including Véronique Cloutier, Ingrid Falaise and Guylaine Tremblay, called for the adoption of a “Gabie Renaud Act,” which would, among other things, allow women to find out if their partner has a history of violence.

With the National Assembly adjourned until May 5, the signatories have asked the premier to reconvene Parliament to swiftly adopt the new measures.

“We refuse to wait for the next femicide, and we hope you feel the same,” the open letter states.

The signatories also asked Fréchette to support shelters for women who are victims of domestic violence by providing them with stable and sufficient funding.

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Since the beginning of 2026, nine suspected femicides have occurred in Quebec in the context of domestic violence — as many as in all of 2025.

Ghazal is set to hold a press conference alongside some of the signatories of the open letter on Tuesday morning in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 21, 2026.