Margenalized persons, such as women and seniors who are generally at lower income levels and own less property than their male counterparts  are easy targets in the legal/judicial system that favours individuals who have more readily available cash to pay lawyer retainers and fees.  

Consider the following aspects of my case: 

—I am a low income senior woman, presently relying on Old Age Pension,  Canada Pension Plan, and rental subsidy (due to the housing crisis). 

—After years of being abused by my partner’s son, and because he was later arrested in 2019 for a vicious assault on his common-law partner, I reported his family violence history to Crime Stoppers, hoping that he would finally be forced to get psychiatric help.  

— This led to added difficulty in our relationship, that I hoped would resolve over time, but when things worsened, we decided to try an amicable separation and property division without lawyers until we worked it out.  

— This seemed to go well, but on the evening of January 2, 2021, I learned that two of my partners friends along with my partner conspired together, making false allegations to say I kicked my partner in the chest.  

— I walked out, sending my partner a text demanding that we now retain separate lawyers.  Within 5 minutes of sending the text, my partner called the RCMP reporting false allegations of abuse.  

— As per the RCMP mandate, I was criminally charged regardless of whether I was innocent and the allegations false— it would be up to me to proclaim innocence and proceed to Criminal Trial, which I did. 

—  Not only was I forced to flee my home of 27 years due this abuse against me, that caused me to fear for my safety (and my loved ones), but because I operated 2 Airbnb’s from our home, I was also forced to give up this source of income. 

— I retained two Legal Aid Lawyers, one to deal with the criminal charges and the other to deal with Division of Property.  

— After a year the Criminal Matter was set aside and the criminal record imposed on my once pristine record with Police and RCMP, was expunged.  

— I have gone through 3 lawyers to deal with Property Division.

— my first lawyer quit when I refused to sign a mandatory waiver attached   to the Separation Agreement he drafted.  Should I sign the contract with the waiver included, it would have me stating that there was no coercion on the part of my partner for me to sign, which would be a lie.  

— My second lawyer after informing me that he had no trial experience in this type of civil law, said that should I wish to continue with him, he would want 30% value of what the Judge Orders.  Our estimated property value being around $1,700,000.00, means that he wants about $255,000.00. I began looking for another lawyer.   

— I retained my third lawyer by putting up an estimated $7,000.00 cash  retainer, that was just under half my savings. 

— my partner has cash (over $550,000.00) most of which came from recently selling our investment property, even though I can prove that I contributed over half to this property, it was in her name to freely sell.  

— my remaining savings is dwindling fast, and I have yet to pay a Process Server in regards to subpoenaing my witnesses.  

— in 2023, I decided to release an 8 minute video between my partner and I that was made in 2018, that reveals my stepsons history of family violence and coercive control by my partner and her son against me as a means of silencing me about his past violence, because if word should get out, he could lose his job as a University Professor.  Because of the coercive control (gas-lighting) by my partner, I asked to video tape our argument (wise move on my part).  

— After release of the video, my partners lawyer quits as does my third lawyer.  I am now a self represented party and have since provided to the court a 37 page Affidavit and exhibits, a portion of which speaks on abuses against me and including the 8 minute video transcript.  

— Ms. Jennifer Reid, who is my partners new lawyer, begins using coercive control measures to deny me justice.  For one, in documents filed with the Court, she tries to coerce me into believing that I have no right to speak to the media or anyone outside of the parties in this litigation, citing that a letter I provided earlier that I had agreed to such.  This is a blatant lie that she knows full well.  The letter cited was to establish that I would not confer  with media and others while we underwent “Property Settlement Conference”— a means for parties settle the matter in hopes of avoiding and expensive, physically and emotionally tasking trial.  The Conference failed, and so voiding the letter/agreement.  

— Just before the Settlement Conference was to proceed, my partner went to my 6 year old grandsons after school program at the local daycare, where she approached and talked with him.  My daughter and her husband had cut ties with my partner long ago due to her abuse against me and my daughter.   When my grandson relayed to his mom and dad about the event, and my daughter informed me, we were all shocked by the brazeness.  I believe that it was strategic on her part— a veiled threat, to prompt me to accept her offer put forth at the Hearing.  This would not be the last veiled threat. 

— in 2024, as it became apparent that my partner and her son were retaliating further by making it difficult for me to serve him with a subpoena (another means of weaponizing the legal/judicial system).  After a week of still refusing to provide me with his address, I decided to fight back, by doing as promised— I emailed his employer, asking that they provide the information, and proceeded to give the details why, including the transcript of the 8 minute video that provides evidence of his violent outbursts/family violence.  

— My partners lawyer then retaliates, accusing me of extortion in traditional victim blaming fashion, a commonly known tactics of coercive control users.  

— Presently, my partner’s lawyer is attempting now to quash my subpoena’s as well as various evidence that I rely on.  

— I am suffering from high blood pressure, but cannot take my prescribed medication because it makes me light headed and I need my wits to continue proceedings where trial is set for October 7– 11.   

— After more recent attacks (some against my Human Rights) in an Affidavit by my partners friend (one who conspired with false allegation of abuse) I then try another recourse— submitting a complaint/inquiry to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission in hopes that they will address the attacks on my person and against my Human Rights; that they can act as a deterrent against further weaponizing of the legal/judicial system; that they will seek remedial action on my behalf; to foster change that will make coercive control illegal in Canada. 

— By making coercive control illegal, Courts can no longer turn a blind eye when it’s used under the guise of our “adversarial” system, to weaponize the legal and judicial system against ordinary citizens and especially marginalized individuals in Canada.  

— If things stay the same, you and/or a loved one can end up in a similar  predicament as I, or worse.  

— Ask yourself why 95% of divorce cases don’t make it to trial?  You will likely find that a good portion had settled for far less than what they deserve.  

— Ask yourself why statistics reveal that many more women/spouses are murdered after separation than before?

— The recent findings in regards to the mass murder here in Nova Scotia by Gabriel Wortman reveals that he was an expert at coercive control that escalated until 22 people are murdered.