Jennifer Polak, a 45-year-old mother of two, was identified as the victim of an alleged murder in Ajax in late March. Her boyfriend, Kyle Severin, has been charged with second-degree murder. The Town of Ajax wants the province to recognize intimate partner violence as an epidemic, and to pass legislation to help combat it.
Jennifer Polak, a 45-year-old mother of two, was identified as the victim of an alleged murder in Ajax in late March. Her boyfriend, Kyle Severin, has been charged with second-degree murder. The Town of Ajax wants the province to recognize intimate partner violence as an epidemic, and to pass legislation to help combat it.
Two weeks after the death of Jennifer Polak, Ajax council is once again urging the province for more action to combat intimate partner violence.
At the April 15 council meeting, councillors unanimously passed a motion asking for the passage of Bill 173, the Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Epidemic Act.
A man arrested at the scene without incident was identified as Polak’s boyfriend, police said.
Regional Ward 1 Coun. Marilyn Crawford, who brought forward the motion, said she attended Queen’s Park last week to watch a debate on the bill proposed by the Ontario NDP.
The government did recognize that intimate partner violence is an epidemic, but referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy for a deeper dive before passing legislation.
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“What we’re saying is we think that is not necessary,” Crawford said.
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She referred to an inquest following the murders of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam, who were killed by a man with whom each had a relationship in Renfrew County in 2015.
The province held an inquest into the murders in June 2022 and the five-person jury returned with a verdict including 86 recommendations.
The motion also mentioned the triple homicide of Krassimira Pejcinovski and her two children, Roy, 15, and Venellia, 13, which took place in Ajax in March 2018, who were all victims of intimate partner violence.
The motion also asks town staff to facilitate a roundtable discussion with experts and local providers of services to IPV survivors to give guidance on steps Ajax can take to combat IPV in the town.
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