Justice minister unveils bail bill targeting repeat violent offenders with reverse onus reforms

Justice Minister David Lametti tabled new legislation on Tuesday aimed at making it harder for repeat violent offenders to be granted bail, through a handful of targeted Criminal Code reforms.

Justice Minister David Lametti tabled new legislation on Tuesday aimed at making it harder for repeat violent offenders to be granted bail, through a handful of targeted Criminal Code reforms.

This small package of legislative reform—spanning just seven pages—comes after months of renewed scrutiny on Canada's bail system and calls for the federal government to implement tougher laws, in the face of a series of high-profile cases of violent crimes allegedly committed by individuals who were out on bail.

While Lametti is touting the proposal as a "targeted" approach that addresses the challenges facing bail system posed by repeat violent offenders and responds to the pressure from politicians across jurisdictions and police leadership, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was quick to say the legislation doesn't go far enough. 

Bill C-48, as it's been titled, seeks to strengthen Canada's bail system’s response to repeat violent offending, including in cases involving firearms, knives, bear spray and other weapons. The government says it is also trying to enhance public confidence in the criminal justice system, and affirm the principles of bail.

Through the bill, five specific Criminal Code changes are proposed:

The federal Liberals have also included a preamble in the bill meant to outline "core bail principles and to help ensure consistent implementation." The Liberals say this legislative mechanism is used to reinforce the objectives of the proposed law changes, noting bill preambles are used by courts to inform the interpretation of the provisions.

And, the government is proposing a parliamentary review to assess the impacts of this package of bail reforms, five years after Bill C-48 becomes law.