We Need Jail, Not Bail
Ottawa, ON – Canadians deserve to feel safe in their homes, their parks and on their streets. Yet after years of Liberal “catch-and-release,” they don’t. Since 2015, violent crime has risen almost 55 per cent, homicides have jumped almost 30 per cent, the number of sexual assaults has skyrocketed over 75 per cent and gun crime has spiked 130 per cent.
As a result, more than half of Canadians report no longer feeling safe in their neighbourhoods. That’s why Conservatives put forward the Jail Not Bail Act to repeal the failed Liberal “principle of restraint,” and toughen bail for violent, repeat offenders.
Last fall, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called on the Prime Minister to deliver on his promise to “act decisively” on reversing Liberal soft-on-crime policies by supporting the bill. Today, the Liberals chose not to make his rhetoric a reality by voting against the bill.
The Jail Not Bail Act would have:
- Repealed and replaced the Liberal “Principle of Restraint” with a directive that public protection and safety be the primary consideration.
- Introduced a new “Major Offences” category with reverse onus bail conditions for firearm, sexual, kidnapping, human trafficking, home invasion, robbery, extortion, arson, and assault charges.
- Strengthened 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.”
- Prohibited anyone with an indictable conviction from acting as a guarantor, required judges to enforce bail conditions on guarantors, and required non-residents to surrender their passports upon request.
The bill had received support from the Toronto Police Association and, when it was announced last year, Poilievre was joined by representatives of the Canadian Police Association and Peel Police Association. It was also backed by families and victim rights advocates, including the family of Bailey McCourt and End Violence Everywhere.
Instead of simply repealing failed Liberal bail policies, Carney introduced a half-baked attempt to copy the Conservatives’ bill without reversing a decade of soft-on-crime laws that gutted jail sentences and let gangs and extortionists rule our streets.
After a decade of chaos and disorder, the Liberals still refuse to ensure the justice system stands with victims and communities, not repeat violent offenders. Conservatives will always fight to restore safe streets to our communities.