I jointly seconded a bill to ensure the worst repeat, violent offenders no longer benefit from the Liberal government’s catch-and-release bail system.
Last week, my Conservative colleague MP Frank Caputo introduced Bill C-313 which amends the Criminal Code to make access to bail more difficult for repeat, violent offenders who are prohibited from possessing firearms. When such people are charged with a serious gun offence, it will place the burden on them to justify why they should continue to walk the streets.
Since Justin Trudeau took office, we’ve seen violent crime increase by 32% and a doubling of gang-related murders. Our streets and communities feel less safe and legislators must move forward with tangible solutions to combat these troubling crime rates.
Instead of going after violent criminals, the Liberal government has taken another approach. They passed legislation that made it easier for violent criminals to receive bail while another Liberal bill eliminated mandatory prison time for serious crimes committed with guns. At the same time, the Liberals chose to target law-abiding hunters and farmers with a hunting rifle ban that they were ultimately forced to withdraw, at least temporarily.
A growing number of voices are demanding the Liberal government get serious about bail reform. In a recent letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers called for “immediate action” on the bail system, noting that the justice system “fundamentally needs to keep anyone who poses a threat to public safety off the streets."
Police groups, such as the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, have also consistently called for bail reform. “In many cases where the accused was on pre-trial release for an allegation of violence or firearms offences, the subsequent offences were completely preventable,” said the OACP president in a statement this past December.
Canadians deserve to feel safe whether they’re out taking a walk, running errands, or even in their own home. Bill C-313 is a common-sense way to keep dangerous criminals behind bars and ensure our families and communities are safe.