Jail Not Bail Act Introduced in the House of Commons
Ottawa, ON – Today in the House of Commons, Arpan Khanna, Member of Parliament for Oxford, introduced Bill C-242, the Jail Not Bail Act, to bring an end to the Liberal crime wave and put public safety first.
After a violent and tragic summer, Canadians are demanding swift action. Liberal bail reform caused repeat violent offenders to be released again and again under weakened bail laws. The consequences of these reckless policies are clear: violent crime is up 55%, firearms offences are up 130%, and extortion has skyrocketed by 330% across Canada.
In 2019, David Lametti, former Liberal Justice Minister, passed Bill C-75, forcing judges to release offenders “at the earliest possible opportunity, under the least onerous conditions.” The result has been predictable: violent, repeat offenders back on the streets instead of behind bars. From coast to coast, Mayors, Premiers, and Attorneys General, along with Police Associations, have been calling for an end to this failed catch-and-release bail experiment.
“This crime crisis is one of the Liberals’ own making, and Canadians are left to live with the devastating consequences,” said Khanna. “The Jail Not Bail Act will restore balance in our justice system and put the safety of Canadians first. Law-abiding Canadians and families deserve a justice system that protects them, not one that prioritizes repeat violent offenders.”
The Jail Not Bail Act will:
- Repeal and replace the Liberal “Principle of Restraint” with a directive that public protection and safety be the primary consideration.
- Introduce a new “Major Offences” category with reverse onus bail conditions for firearm, sexual, kidnapping, human trafficking, home invasion, robbery, extortion, arson, and assault charges.
- Strengthen bail laws by mandating judges consider an accused’s full criminal history, preventing anyone convicted of a major offence in the last 10 years while also on bail and charged with a major offence from receiving bail, and toughening the risk assessment standard from “substantial likelihood” to “reasonably foreseeable.”
- Prohibit anyone with an indictable conviction from acting as a guarantor, require judges to enforce bail conditions on guarantors, and require non-residents to surrender their passports upon request.
“Conservatives are taking concrete action to restore accountability and prioritize public safety through the Jail Not Bail Act. Canadians deserve a justice system that stands with victims and communities, not violent repeat offenders,” concluded Khanna.