C-311Violence Against Pregnant Women Act
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women)
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on January 31, 2023
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Adds pregnancy-related harm as an aggravating factor when courts sentence under the Criminal Code.
What it does
- Adds a sentencing factor when an offender knowingly assaults a person they know is pregnant.
- Adds a sentencing factor when an offence causes physical or emotional harm to a pregnant victim.
- Amends section 718.2(a) of the Criminal Code to list these circumstances as aggravating factors.
Who it affects
- Pregnant women
- People convicted of assault
- Criminal courts
- Judges
Background
It changes the sentencing rules in the Criminal Code.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women)
Vote 377,
Failed
113 yeato205 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 377 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 148 8 Conservative Yea 113 0 2 Bloc Nay 0 30 2 NDP Nay 0 23 2 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Nay 0 2 1 Total 113 205
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalRachel Bendayan· May 9, 2023
“The bill amends the Criminal Code to specify that knowingly assaulting a pregnant woman and that causing physical or emotional harm to a pregnant woman are to be considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes. At first glance, this bill seems like a well-intentioned measure to better protect pregnant women.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeCathay Wagantall· January 31, 2023
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women). I first want to thank the member for South Surrey—White Rock for seconding my bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocAndréanne Larouche· May 9, 2023
“The Criminal Code amendment in the bill would force the courts to consider the fact that an assault victim is a pregnant woman an aggravating circumstance for sentencing purposes. I realize this may seem like a sensitive issue, but, as usual, the Conservatives want to reopen the abortion debate.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPLeah Gazan· May 9, 2023
“Madam Speaker, I am not pleased to have to rise today to speak on Bill C-311, another attack on a woman's right to choose, another attack on abortion as health care, another attack on abortion rights as human rights, which is something that women, in particular, led the way to have so that we would not go back to the dark times of what has been mentioned so many times today:…”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill defeated. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.