Date:
May 12, 2026
10 AM to 1 PM Pacific /
1 PM to 4 PM Eastern
Register today
About
For Victims and Survivors of Crime Week 2026, CNPEA, in partnership with Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario and Dementia Justice Canada will be hosting a free online symposium focused on coercive control of older people on May 12, 2026 between 1pm and 4 pm Eastern time.
This event will examine how older people experience coercive control, a pattern of abusive behaviour that uses intimidation, isolation and control to strip victims of their autonomy, psychological well-being and sense of safety.
The dual aim is to educate and enrich the justice community’s and the public’s understanding of how coercive control of seniors manifests in intimate, family and social relationships, and enhance how lawmakers, justice professionals and senior-serving organizations think about the scope of coercive control, beyond intimate partner relationships.
In an effort to fill knowledge gaps about coercive control of older people, CNPEA will convene experts in elder abuse prevention, justice professionals, community-based seniors’ services, and other experts to bring an informed pan-Canadian perspective, share knowledge, highlight opportunities to collaborate and increase our capacity for collective impact.
The symposium aims to:
- mobilize knowledge and reflection about an issue that is still insufficiently understood and inadequately addressed.
- highlight key recommendations for policy makers and justice system professionals to better address coercive control of older people in developing laws, policies and practice.
- better serve older victims/survivors of family violence and gender-based violence, who are too often underserved and left with increased vulnerabilities.
- Help us collectively address the pressing and growing issue of mistreatment of older people in all its complexities.
This event is open to all. ASL interpretation will be provided.
Register today
Presenters
Margaret Isabel Hall, Professor, (School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University)
Margaret Isabel Hall LLB, LLM, PhD holds the Professorship in Applied Legal Studies in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. Margaret is also an Adjunct Professor at the Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law and the Australian Centre for Health Law Research (Queensland University of Technology). Margaret's current research combines qualitative methodologies with doctrinal analysis in the areas of health law (including medical assistance in dying), legal theories of decision-making and states of mind, and vulnerability as a concept in law. Margaret is also active in the area of tort law, and is a co-author of Canadian Tort Law and The Law of Nuisance in Canada.
Heather Campbell Pope, Dementia Justice Canada
Heather Campbell Pope is a lawyer called to the bar in British Columbia. Over the past 15 years, she has worked, studied and volunteered in the fields of elder law and aged care policy, with a particular interest in the intersection of criminal law and dementia. She is the founder of Dementia Justice Canada. Heather completed her undergraduate studies at Queen’s University. She holds a law degree and Master of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan.
Maree Bernoth, Adjunct Associate Professor, Three Rivers, Department of Rural Health, Charles Sturt University (Australia)
Maree Bernoth currently holds an adjunct position with CSU Three Rivers Department of Rural Health, researching ageing, and mentoring academics and clinicians. Her research interests include older people living in rural and remote communities, the meaning of community to older people, and a participatory model of working with older people. Recent research projects include the experiences of community aged care workers and community dwelling older people as they cope with extreme heat environments. Along with researchers from Central Queensland University, Maree is exploring coercive control of older people - identifying a definition, exposing the impact on the older person and the individuals who try to support them. In 2013, she was awarded an Australian Award for Tertiary Teaching and the text book she co-edited with Dr Denise Winkler won an Australian publishing award in 2017.
Bonnie Brayton, Chief Executive Officer, DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada (DAWN Canada)
Bonnie Brayton is a recognized thought leader in both the feminist and disability movements in Canada and internationally. Her longstanding commitment to these intersecting causes has driven her active involvement in global feminist organizing for many years. She is the Partner Liaison for the seven-year initiative “Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development” based at the University of Guelph.
Bonnie is also an active member of the Gender & Trade Advisory Group at Global Affairs Canada. She has served as a member of the Federal Minister’s Advisory Council on Gender-Based Violence (WAGE) from 2016 to 2021 and, from 2020 - 2025, Bonnie has been a member of the Minister’s Disability Advisory Group (MDAG).
As a founding member of the Ending Violence Association of Canada, Bonnie has long championed collaborative efforts to end gender-based violence. She also served on the Steering Committee of La Maison Parent-Roback from 2008 to 2015. She is also a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Joanne Blinco, Executive Director of the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council (AEAAC)
Joanne Blinco has dedicated 40 years to the field of abuse prevention and response, including 30 years in children’s services and the past 10 years focused on elder abuse. Joanne spent four years working directly on the front lines as an elder abuse case manager, giving her strong practical insight into the realities faced by older adults. In her current role, she leads a provincial team of seven and is committed to strengthening community-based responses across Alberta, with a strong belief that communities are best positioned to understand and address their community work. She is also actively involved with the Elder Justice Coalition, working to advance legislation that better recognizes and protects older adults.
Amy Coupal, CEO, Ontario Caregiver Organization
Amy Coupal is the CEO of the Ontario Caregiver Organization, a charitable organization that exists to support Ontario’s 4.2 million caregivers who provide physical and/or emotional support to family members, partners, friends and neighbours. Amy has led both healthcare and education-based not for profits with a focus on mobilizing change through knowledge exchange and collaborations that positively impact the lives of individuals and communities. Amy serves as a board Director and committee member on many healthcare initiatives focused on issues relevant to caregivers. Amy has a Master of Education from the University of Calgary, is a holder of the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation and recently completed the National Health Fellowship through the Health Leadership Academy at McMaster University. As a caregiver for most of her life, Amy helped to support her brother who had Cerebral Palsy. She was also a caregiver to her mother throughout her cancer journey and now supports her father through older adulthood.
Kurt Goddard, Executive Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Inclusion Canada
Kurt (he/him) is based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on the ancestral lands of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi'kmaq peoples. As the Executive Director of Legal & Public Affairs at Inclusion Canada, Kurt combines his formidable expertise as a practicing lawyer, dedicated disability rights advocate, and former political staffer. His in-depth knowledge of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities underpins his work in legal advocacy, public affairs, and community engagement. A career highlight for Kurt was contributing to the advocacy efforts that laid the groundwork for Canada's Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
This event is funded with the support of
