politicians are voicing support for a federal Conservative bill that would classify the killing of an intimate partner as first-degree murder. Caputo said a first-degree murder charge for killing an intimate partner would be similar to how killings of peace officers are treated. The bill would also create a new offence for assaulting an intimate partner. “This federal bill is a vital step toward fixing those failures and putting victims’ safety ahead of offenders’ convenience.”Kelowna Centre MLA Kristina Loewen also praised the move. Classifying intimate partner killings as first-degree murder was among the steps McCourt’s family called for to improve the justice system in the wake of her death.