Canada to propose bail reform targeting violent, repeat offenders

The federal government plans to introduce new bail reform legislation aimed at cracking down on violent crime and repeat offenders, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday. The proposed measures, expected to be tabled in Parliament next week, are designed to “keep violent and repeat offenders out of our communities,” Carney said.

Under the new legislation, the Criminal Code would be amended to target serious crimes, including violent auto theft, breaking and entering, human trafficking, violent assault, and sexual assault. Key provisions include reverse-onus bail for major crimes, meaning that accused individuals would need to prove why they deserve to be released, rather than the current system where the state must prove why they should be detained.

The legislation will also introduce consecutive sentencing for major crimes and impose restrictions on conditional sentences for certain sexual offences, Carney added.

The Conservative Party of Canada criticized the plan, calling it a continuation of a “failed Liberal playbook.” In a statement, the party said, “Conservatives offered the Liberals a real plan to tackle crime by repealing their ‘Principle of Restraint’ and strengthening bail conditions with the Jail Not Bail Act. The Act won support from across the country, but when Liberals had the chance to make our streets safer, they voted against it.”

Conservative justice critic Larry Brock further argued, “Mark Carney said that keeping Canada safe has been his government’s focus since day one. Yet it has been six months without legislation and Carney is still refusing to repeal the ‘principle of restraint.’ You can’t put a criminal only halfway in jail; halfway measures won’t end the scourge of crime and disorder in our communities.”

The “principle of restraint” is a legal doctrine requiring judges to consider alternatives to incarceration before handing down a prison sentence. Critics argue that removing this principle could increase the number of people detained pre-trial.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) also voiced opposition, highlighting a lack of evidence linking bail to crime rates. Shakir Rahim, director of the CCLA’s Criminal Justice Program, stated, “For years, civil society and even the Senate have urged the government to collect and publish standardized bail data. We do not even have basic numbers, like how many people allegedly commit new offences while on bail.”

The proposed bail reforms are expected to spark debate in Parliament, as lawmakers balance concerns over public safety with civil liberties.