It’s time for jail, not bail for violent, repeat offenders.
Woodbridge, ON – Today, the Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, and Arpan Khanna, Member of Parliament for Oxford and Conservative National Outreach Chair, announced they will introduce the Jail Not Bail Act to end the Liberal crime wave and put public safety first.
Under the Liberals, our cities have been taken over by criminals released time and time again under easy bail laws. The consequences of their reckless policies are real: violent crime is up 55%, firearms crime is up 130% and extortion has skyrocketed by 330% across Canada.
“Canadians deserve to be safe in all places and at all times in this country,” said Poilievre. “If Mark Carney is serious about restoring peace to our communities, he will back this bill and reverse his party’s disastrous bail laws.”
In 2019, David Lametti – now Carney’s right-hand man – passed Bill C-75, forcing judges to release offenders “at the earliest possible opportunity, under the least onerous conditions.” The predictable result: violent, repeat offenders back on the streets.
Recent tragedies show the cost:
- Bailey McCourt, a young mother, was murdered by her ex-husband just hours after he was released on bail for assault and threats.
- Tyrone Simard, released on bail for assault with a weapon, went on a mass stabbing spree that killed his sister and injured seven others.
- Daniel Senecal, convicted of sexual assault, released again—then accused of sexually assaulting a three-year-old child.
It’s why Premiers and Attorneys General from Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, along with Police associations from across the country, have been calling for an end to this easy bail policy. Carney should listen to the provincial governments and police on the ground who are dealing with this crime crisis.
If the Liberals won’t act to protect Canadians, Conservatives will. This fall, MP Arpan Khanna will introduce the Jail Not Bail Act to strengthen public safety and rebalance our justice system to put law-abiding citizens first.
“This crime crisis is one of the Liberals’ own making with their catch-and-release policies,” added Khanna. “Conservatives are offering Carney the opportunity to do what is right and tip the scales of justice back in favour of innocent Canadians.”
The Conservative bill will:
- Repeal and replace the Liberal “Principle of Restraint” with a directive for the primary consideration to be the protection and safety of the public.
- 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, prevent anyone convicted of a major offence in the last 10 years while also on bail and charged with a major offence from getting bail, and toughen the risk assessment standard from “substantial likelihood” to “reasonably foreseeable”.
- Prohibit anyone with an indictable conviction from acting as a guarantor (who ensures bail conditions are followed), require judges to enforce bail conditions on guarantors and require non-residents to surrender their passports upon request.
“We, the family of Bailey McCourt, support this bill as it strengthens Canada’s bail system by ensuring that public safety is prioritized in decisions about interim release,” said Debbie Henderson, family spokesperson and aunt of Bailey McCourt. “By addressing repeat and violent offenders, it closes critical gaps that have too often placed our communities and victims at risk. These amendments represent a necessary step toward greater accountability, protection and confidence in our justice system.”
Canadians deserve a justice system that protects Canadians, not one that prioritizes repeat violent offenders. Carney promised to deliver with stronger bail laws. Conservatives will hold him to his promises and put forward legislation that will restore balance, protect victims and prioritize public safety.