A small number of dangerous repeat violent offenders are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in Canada.
Recently we’ve have seen horrifying attacks on the TTC. In one gruesome incident, a subway rider was stabbed in the face with an ice pick. Another woman had her face slashed at Spadina Station.
Locally, we have seen an increase in home invasions: a woman shot outside of a Burlington gym and a ring of truck thefts in Flamborough.
After eight years of Justin Trudeau as prime minister, the bail system has become a “catch and release” mess. Bail was made easier for violent criminals.
Compounding the problem, mandatory prison time for serious offences was eliminated in the recent Liberal legislation C-5. The result? Violent crime is up 32 per cent, and gang-related homicides have skyrocketed 92 per cent.
In Toronto, over half of the people charged with gun murders in 2022 were out on bail at the time of the crime.
That’s why Conservatives put forward a motion in Parliament a few weeks ago calling for immediate changes to the bail system. It backed up an urgent plea from all 13 provincial and territorial premiers in a letter to the prime minister asking for federal bail reform. Police organizations, chiefs of police and victims’ rights groups have also been asking for the same.
Unfortunately, the Liberals and NDP voted down our motion.
Undeterred, Conservatives introduced Bill C-313, an act to amend the Criminal Code, on Feb. 9. This piece of legislation tabled by B.C. Conservative MP Frank Caputo ensures that violent offenders seeking bail must prove that their detention is not justified before they are released. This will ensure only non-violent offenders are able to walk the streets after having proven that they deserve to do so.
That’s because under Bill C-313, when violent criminals are charged with a serious gun offence, the hill to climb for bail will be much steeper.
Canadians no longer feel safe walking down the street or taking public transit. That is unacceptable in Canada, that wasn’t the case eight years ago and that is fixable.
This Conservative private members’ bill aims to change that — keeping some of the most dangerous criminals behind bars and making our streets safer.