News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Legislative amendments have been introduced to give statutory authority to the province’s Child Death Review Committee and Domestic Violence Death Review Committee.

“These changes will ensure New Brunswick’s own Domestic Violence Death Review Committee and Child Death Review Committee have the proper authority to obtain and share information for their crucial work,” said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Carl Urquhart. “Amending the Coroners Act will also allow for the sharing of information with the Atlantic Domestic Homicide Review Network and researchers.”

In addition, the change will allow the chief coroner to share aggregate information with counterparts in other member provinces.

The Atlantic Domestic Homicide Review Network was established by the Council of Atlantic Canada earlier this year as a collaborative look to develop needed system responses, community supports, policy and legislative changes to prevent domestic homicide. The network will complement the work of New Brunswick’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee.

The change will also eliminate the requirement for coroners to be appointed by the lieutenant-governor in council, transferring that responsibility to the chief coroner.