1
00:00:00,230 --> 00:00:01,810
Someone who is not a partner or

2
00:00:01,810 --> 00:00:03,890
relative is stalking you.

3
00:00:04,050 --> 00:00:05,490
Can the law help?

4
00:00:05,770 --> 00:00:06,750
Yes.

5
00:00:07,390 --> 00:00:08,250
Criminal harassment and a

6
00:00:08,250 --> 00:00:09,450
general peace bond do not

7
00:00:09,450 --> 00:00:11,770
require a family relationship.

8
00:00:12,330 --> 00:00:13,530
Provincial civil protection may

9
00:00:13,530 --> 00:00:15,110
also be available.

10
00:00:15,490 --> 00:00:16,430
These routes have different

11
00:00:16,430 --> 00:00:17,770
tests, so start with the

12
00:00:17,770 --> 00:00:19,170
conduct, the risk and your

13
00:00:19,170 --> 00:00:20,250
province.

14
00:00:21,334 --> 00:00:22,654
The criminal harassment law

15
00:00:22,654 --> 00:00:25,174
changed in July 2026.

16
00:00:25,554 --> 00:00:26,954
It addresses prohibited conduct

17
00:00:26,954 --> 00:00:28,474
without lawful authority, with

18
00:00:28,474 --> 00:00:30,474
intent to harass, or knowing or

19
00:00:30,474 --> 00:00:31,774
being reckless about whether it

20
00:00:31,774 --> 00:00:33,594
would harass another person.

21
00:00:33,834 --> 00:00:35,174
In the circumstances, the

22
00:00:35,174 --> 00:00:36,354
conduct must be something that

23
00:00:36,354 --> 00:00:37,674
could reasonably be expected to

24
00:00:37,674 --> 00:00:39,074
make them believe their safety,

25
00:00:39,074 --> 00:00:40,274
or the safety of someone known

26
00:00:40,274 --> 00:00:42,034
to them is threatened.

27
00:00:42,494 --> 00:00:43,674
Safety includes psychological

28
00:00:43,674 --> 00:00:45,014
safety.

29
00:00:46,038 --> 00:00:47,098
Imagine an acquaintance

30
00:00:47,098 --> 00:00:48,538
repeatedly follows your commute

31
00:00:48,538 --> 00:00:49,838
and uses accounts to monitor

32
00:00:49,838 --> 00:00:51,198
your movements.

33
00:00:51,518 --> 00:00:52,578
The current law expressly

34
00:00:52,578 --> 00:00:54,358
addresses monitoring location,

35
00:00:54,358 --> 00:00:56,098
movements, actions or social

36
00:00:56,098 --> 00:00:57,738
interactions, including through

37
00:00:57,738 --> 00:00:59,118
technology.

38
00:00:59,478 --> 00:01:00,618
Repeated following and repeated

39
00:01:00,618 --> 00:01:02,078
communication remain listed

40
00:01:02,078 --> 00:01:03,338
conduct.

41
00:01:03,798 --> 00:01:04,838
Watching places and threatening

42
00:01:04,838 --> 00:01:06,978
conduct are also covered.

43
00:01:07,258 --> 00:01:08,578
Do not assume every category

44
00:01:08,578 --> 00:01:09,838
needs the same number of

45
00:01:09,838 --> 00:01:10,978
incidents.

46
00:01:11,418 --> 00:01:12,558
Explain the whole pattern to

47
00:01:12,558 --> 00:01:13,538
police.

48
00:01:14,678 --> 00:01:16,038
A general peace bond is

49
00:01:16,038 --> 00:01:17,098
preventive.

50
00:01:17,538 --> 00:01:18,318
You must have reasonable

51
00:01:18,318 --> 00:01:19,818
grounds to fear personal injury

52
00:01:19,818 --> 00:01:21,378
to you, your intimate partner

53
00:01:21,378 --> 00:01:23,398
or child, property damage, or

54
00:01:23,398 --> 00:01:24,338
the intimate image offence

55
00:01:24,338 --> 00:01:26,138
specified in the code.

56
00:01:26,478 --> 00:01:27,718
A prior conviction is not

57
00:01:27,718 --> 00:01:28,918
required.

58
00:01:29,138 --> 00:01:30,758
If the court is satisfied, it

59
00:01:30,758 --> 00:01:32,318
may impose conditions for up to

60
00:01:32,318 --> 00:01:33,658
12 months.

61
00:01:33,898 --> 00:01:35,498
That is this general route, not

62
00:01:35,498 --> 00:01:36,938
the maximum for every kind of

63
00:01:36,938 --> 00:01:38,258
peace bond.

64
00:01:39,286 --> 00:01:40,526
The court can consider no

65
00:01:40,526 --> 00:01:42,386
contact and stay away terms,

66
00:01:42,386 --> 00:01:43,146
including indirect

67
00:01:43,146 --> 00:01:44,706
communication and appropriate

68
00:01:44,706 --> 00:01:46,406
weapons restrictions.

69
00:01:46,966 --> 00:01:48,266
Identify the places and people

70
00:01:48,266 --> 00:01:49,846
needing protection.

71
00:01:50,326 --> 00:01:51,426
Starting an application does

72
00:01:51,426 --> 00:01:52,546
not itself create those

73
00:01:52,546 --> 00:01:53,746
conditions.

74
00:01:54,246 --> 00:01:55,406
Ask about immediate safety

75
00:01:55,406 --> 00:01:56,566
arrangements while the case

76
00:01:56,566 --> 00:01:57,746
proceeds.

77
00:01:58,126 --> 00:01:59,586
A peace bond is not itself a

78
00:01:59,586 --> 00:02:00,706
criminal conviction, but

79
00:02:00,706 --> 00:02:01,806
breaching it can be a criminal

80
00:02:01,806 --> 00:02:02,906
offence.

81
00:02:04,038 --> 00:02:06,018
Civil options differ.

82
00:02:06,558 --> 00:02:07,718
Manitoba's stalking legislation

83
00:02:07,718 --> 00:02:09,118
can protect someone without a

84
00:02:09,118 --> 00:02:10,838
family relationship, if its own

85
00:02:10,838 --> 00:02:12,378
stalking, continued risk and

86
00:02:12,378 --> 00:02:14,458
urgency requirements are met.

87
00:02:14,918 --> 00:02:15,798
Quebec's civil protection

88
00:02:15,798 --> 00:02:16,778
procedure can address

89
00:02:16,778 --> 00:02:18,198
threatened life, health or

90
00:02:18,198 --> 00:02:20,158
safety, including harassment,

91
00:02:20,158 --> 00:02:21,318
without requiring a criminal

92
00:02:21,318 --> 00:02:22,438
offence.

93
00:02:22,898 --> 00:02:24,058
Some family law restraining

94
00:02:24,058 --> 00:02:25,318
orders have relationship

95
00:02:25,318 --> 00:02:26,698
qualifications.

96
00:02:27,278 --> 00:02:28,418
Do not choose a form just

97
00:02:28,418 --> 00:02:30,518
because its title sounds right.

98
00:02:31,574 --> 00:02:33,074
An ordinary civil injunction

99
00:02:33,074 --> 00:02:34,594
may be another option, but it

100
00:02:34,594 --> 00:02:36,634
needs a proper legal basis.

101
00:02:37,054 --> 00:02:38,574
For urgent relief, the evidence

102
00:02:38,574 --> 00:02:39,974
must satisfy the applicable

103
00:02:39,974 --> 00:02:41,454
court test.

104
00:02:41,854 --> 00:02:43,094
Asking someone to take positive

105
00:02:43,094 --> 00:02:44,534
action can require a stronger

106
00:02:44,534 --> 00:02:45,694
case.

107
00:02:46,114 --> 00:02:47,294
Ask a provincial lawyer about

108
00:02:47,294 --> 00:02:49,414
the claim, urgency, notice,

109
00:02:49,414 --> 00:02:51,194
costs and alternatives.

110
00:02:51,674 --> 00:02:52,754
Alleging a crime does not

111
00:02:52,754 --> 00:02:54,174
automatically establish a right

112
00:02:54,174 --> 00:02:55,934
to a civil injunction.

113
00:02:56,998 --> 00:02:58,498
If safe, keep original

114
00:02:58,498 --> 00:03:00,578
messages, account details,

115
00:03:00,578 --> 00:03:02,178
voicemails, and a factual log

116
00:03:02,178 --> 00:03:04,618
of dates, places, and conduct.

117
00:03:04,978 --> 00:03:06,738
Note witness details.

118
00:03:07,278 --> 00:03:09,158
Keep your police file number.

119
00:03:09,498 --> 00:03:11,098
Explain threats, monitoring,

120
00:03:11,098 --> 00:03:12,938
and any existing orders.

121
00:03:13,378 --> 00:03:14,538
Avoid meeting or confronting

122
00:03:14,538 --> 00:03:15,798
the person to obtain more

123
00:03:15,798 --> 00:03:16,958
evidence.

124
00:03:17,338 --> 00:03:18,698
Ask police or victim services

125
00:03:18,698 --> 00:03:20,298
for help with a safety plan and

126
00:03:20,298 --> 00:03:21,238
protecting your personal

127
00:03:21,238 --> 00:03:22,458
information.

128
00:03:23,550 --> 00:03:25,750
Get a copy of every order.

129
00:03:26,050 --> 00:03:27,590
Check when it binds the person,

130
00:03:27,590 --> 00:03:29,290
how notification happens, its

131
00:03:29,290 --> 00:03:31,390
exact terms and expiry.

132
00:03:31,930 --> 00:03:32,810
Report suspected breaches

133
00:03:32,810 --> 00:03:34,170
promptly and seek emergency

134
00:03:34,170 --> 00:03:36,410
help if danger is immediate.

135
00:03:36,810 --> 00:03:38,190
Enforcement and changes depend

136
00:03:38,190 --> 00:03:39,850
on the legal route.

137
00:03:40,110 --> 00:03:41,530
A private agreement does not by

138
00:03:41,530 --> 00:03:43,210
itself rewrite a court order,

139
00:03:43,210 --> 00:03:44,630
and the paperwork is only one

140
00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:46,410
part of a safety plan.

141
00:03:47,414 --> 00:03:48,714
For free general legal

142
00:03:48,714 --> 00:03:50,574
information, Legal Hotline's

143
00:03:50,574 --> 00:03:51,894
Canada number is on your screen

144
00:03:51,894 --> 00:03:52,974
now.

145
00:03:53,334 --> 00:03:54,674
Legal Hotline is not a law

146
00:03:54,674 --> 00:03:55,774
firm.

147
00:03:56,074 --> 00:03:58,434
Its information line uses AI.

148
00:03:59,014 --> 00:04:00,034
Lawyer matching is a separate

149
00:04:00,034 --> 00:04:01,294
service, subject to

150
00:04:01,294 --> 00:04:03,254
availability and acceptance.

151
00:04:03,674 --> 00:04:04,614
For advice on your own

152
00:04:04,614 --> 00:04:06,174
situation, speak with a lawyer

153
00:04:06,174 --> 00:04:07,594
in your province.

154
00:04:07,954 --> 00:04:09,594
In immediate danger, contact

155
00:04:09,594 --> 00:04:11,394
emergency services.