Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Bail Changes

Getting bail in Canada officially becomes harder for repeat offenders

Jan 4, 2024 | 5:00 PM

It’s going to be harder for people who’ve been arrested for a crime to get bail.

That’s because changes to the country’s bail system, which were approved last year, officially came into effect on Thursday.

This means repeat offenders will have to convince a judge why they should be released instead of a prosecutor explaining why they should stay behind bars. A judge will also have to state on the record that they’ve considered the safety and security of the community when granting bail.

The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) led the charge for the changes after claiming the bail system has turned cities into “crime zones.”

Multiple cases were highlighted to push this point across. This includes the shooting death of an Ontario police officer and the attack on the James Smith Cree Nation, though that perpetrator was out on parole and not bail despite having a long history of violence.

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“Common-sense Conservatives will bring home safe streets by ending Trudeau’s catch and release system and ensuring that repeat violent offenders get jail, not bail,” said Rob Moore, the CPC’s Shadow Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

He also noted more needs to be done to fix the issue claiming the changes “[do] not go nearly far enough.”

While the CPCs want more done, there are some who have been against the changes since they were first announced.

Brian Pfefferle, a criminal lawyer based in Saskatoon, previously told paNOW that Saskatchewan jails were overcrowded mainly because many people were denied bail.

“I had a case in Prince Albert a number of years ago where an individual was charged with homicide, he was denied bail, and he was ultimately acquitted by the jury,” Pfefferle said. “He had the shackles removed and he walked out of there after spending two years in custody. That’s liberty that was lost and never regained.”

In his opinion, the bail system doesn’t need to be changed. He did agree that crime is up which is putting pressure on the jails, but efforts should focus more on prevention than keeping everyone locked up.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @princealbertnow