‘Kiara’s Law’: Petition calling for legal changes after Dawson Creek woman’s death in Mexico hits 1,000 signatures

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — A petition started to introduce legislation in the House of Commons in memory of a Dawson Creek woman who was killed in Mexico has garnered 1,000 signatures. 

The petition was started on January 14th this year after Kiara Agnew – a Dawson Creek resident – was killed in Mexico while on vacation with her boyfriend in March 2023.  

Agnew’s partner was detained in Mexico and was later found not guilty of murder in a court in that country. 

The petition, called “Kiara’s Law,” is requesting the House of Commons introduce legislation which requires mandatory Canadian forensic autopsies in cases of suspicious deaths abroad. 

It also asks for consular advocacy standards for victims’ families. 

The petition asks the Criminal Code of Canada be amended to guarantee Canadian jurisdiction in cases involving harm or death of a Canadian by another Canadian outside of Canada. 

It was started by Tanya Agnew, a resident of Edmonton, Alberta and will be closed for signatures on April 14th at 10.39 a.m. 

As of January 19th, the petition has received 1,000 signatures. 

Once a petition to the House of Commons is initiated, it is authorized by an MP before the clerk of petitions conducts a preliminary review. This petition was authorized by Ziad Aboultaif, the MP representing Edmonton Manning. 

Once the petition receives at least 500 signatures, it is certified by the clerk of petitions and presented to the House of Commons to provide a response.  

A GoFundMe which was started in March 2023 to bring Agnew home received $29,134 and she came back to Canada a few weeks after her passing. 

This comes after six protests were held calling for a “fair” trail for Agnew in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Vancouver and Calgary last year, two years after her passing. 

Energeticcity.ca reached out to Agnew’s family but did not receive a response before publication. 

To sign the petition, click here.