Latest news with #bailreform
National Post
a day ago
- Politics
- National Post
Justice minister says he doesn't like 'soft on crime' slogans, but won't 'diminish' those concerns
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says that while he does not believe in using labels like 'soft on crime,' which critics employ to describe the justice system, he says it is important not to dismiss the concerns of those who use them. Article content 'I don't necessarily agree with the sloganeering approach, but that doesn't mean someone who may agree with it doesn't have a point that deserves the government's attention,' he told National Post in a recent wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Article content Article content Fraser enters the justice and attorney general portfolio at a time when premiers and police chiefs are pressing the federal government to further restrict access to bail, particularly in Ontario, as a strategy to stem the rising tide of auto thefts and home invasions, which police across the Greater Toronto Area and other regions of the country have reported. Article content Article content Making bail more difficult for those accused of these crimes, particularly when violence is used and when they are connected to organized crime, was a promise made by Prime Minister Mark Carney in late April's federal election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term. Article content The Liberals also campaigned on a pledge to make bail harder for those charged with certain human trafficking and drug smuggling offences, as well as bringing in tougher sentencing guidelines for courts to follow for repeat offenders convicted of a home invasion or auto theft. Article content Crime was a major focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign, with candidates handing out leaflets emblazoned with the percentages of how much car theft has increased in and around Toronto, where they flipped several seats from the Liberals. Article content Article content Conservatives have continued to draw attention to crime rates by laying them squarely at the feet of what they describe as 'soft on crime' and 'catch-and-release' Liberal justice policies. Article content Fraser says the discussion around tightening bail is rooted in legal analysis and not 'exclusively on the increased scrutiny that you may see from the public or from another political party.' It is also a multi-jurisdictional matter, he points out, and touches on issues like training for judges and justices of the peace, as well as the shortage of Crown prosecutors, which the Liberals have pledged to tackle. Article content 'When we hear the scrutiny that may come from the public on an issue that's an early warning system that you should be looking into, has there been a change? What is underlying that change?'
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Bail reform needed to curb 'repeat prolific offenders' in Portage la Prairie: Mayor
The mayor of Portage la Prairie and the owner of a local boutique are calling for changes to bail reform laws after a repeat thief stole from the shop yet again on Tuesday afternoon. Janna Braaksma, owner of 3's Company Boutique on Saskatchewan Avenue, said she and other local business owners deal with repeat shoplifters regularly, but Tuesday's incident was "the straw that broke the camel's back." "She walked in the door, she went to exactly the brand [of jeans] that she wanted and it happened in 40 seconds and she was out the door," Braaksma said, adding the woman had already been banned from the store. Braaksma said she immediately called community safety officers when the woman came in but it all happened so fast that the woman was out the door before the phone call was even answered. Security camera footage of the incident, which happened around 2:30 p.m., was posted by Braaksma to her store's Facebook page. It garnered tens of thousands of views and hundreds of shares, she said. "When it comes to repeat offenders and repeat people in our store doing these thefts …it's getting beyond frustrating," she said. An RCMP spokesperson told CBC News a 45-year-old woman was arrested on Wednesday in connection to the theft. Charges are pending. Mayor Sharilyn Knox has loudly been calling for changes to Canada's bail system alongside Manitoba MLAs since January, when a woman was killed in a three-vehicle collision near the city by an alleged drunk driver who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. In March, Manitoba MLAs unanimously passed a motion to bolster bail enforcement and crack down on people who break release conditions. That motion follows a five-point plan to deal with repeat offenders, introduced by the province last year. That plan includes more money for Crown attorneys, police and law enforcement agencies and community support programs. Knox said there aren't many "prolific repeat offenders" in the community, but a small number of people are doing a great deal of harm. Crime in the city has improved since community safety officers started patrolling the streets, she said, adding the city is increasing the number of officers from four to seven. "We're not just going to sit back and let this happen. We're going to keep advocating for change, in not only our community but in our province and across the country," Knox said. She has worked closely with the provincial government to advocate for bail reform and she was pleased to hear Prime Minister Mark Carney touch on the issue when municipal leaders met with him for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa earlier this month. "People across this country want change and they want to feel safe in their communities and they want to know that our governments and our systems are working to enhance that, not to continually fight against it," she said. Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, in a statement to CBC News, said the government is "committed to getting tough on crime and the causes of crime." He said the province's five-point bail plan and a return to the ankle bracelet monitoring program will help crack down on repeat offenders. "I have spoken to Mayor Knox and we will continue working in partnership to urge the federal government to make meaningful changes to the bail system," Wiebe said. CBC News reached out to the federal Department of Justice for comment on Wednesday but did not receive a response before publication. Knox said police in her community are doing a great job but she worries that without further bail reform they will remain on a "hamster wheel" that keeps seeing the same people arrested over and over again. Braaksma said the current bail system is akin to a "catch-and-release" with limited consequences. She also wants to see changes.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Bec Judd's furious message to Dan Andrews as crime epidemic in her upmarket suburb is laid bare in sobering new statistics
Television presenter Bec Judd has unleashed on the Victorian Government and former Premier Dan Andrews as crime statistics in the state hit a record high. Judd, the wife of former Carlton and West Coast AFL superstar Chris Judd, has advocated for more action on fighting the state's spiralling crime crisis and weak bail laws for years. Judd and Andrews have publicly traded barbs in the past, including in 2022 when the model said she felt unsafe in her $7.3million Bayside mansion, and Andrews replied he was 'sorry she feels that way [but] the [crime] data would tell a different story'. The new data shows there were 627,268 criminal offences recorded in Victoria in the twelve months to end of March, an increase of 91,692 offences. For a third consecutive quarter, Victoria Police also recorded the most arrests since electronic records began in 1993, and likely in the force's 172-year history. 'Imagine if Dan Andrews had listened to me when I sounded this alarm a few years back,' Judd said on Instagram on Thursday. 'Hundreds (maybe thousands?) of Victorians (not just Brighton residents) have become victims of violent home invasions since then, many experiencing life long trauma. 'Sadly, innocent lives have also been lost. I will continue to raise these issues until people start to feel safe in their communities again.' She also shared a social media post from her local Brighton MP for state parliament, the Liberals' James Newbury. 'There has been a shocking 91 per cent increase in residential aggravated burglaries in Brighton, over the last twelve months,' Newbury said. Judd also shared comments made by Victoria's Police Minister Anthony Carbines to the Herald Sun, in which he said the increase in crime was 'unacceptable'. She highlighted his statement that, despite this, he did not regret waiting over a year to roll out bail, machete and 'post and boast' laws. 'We're acting as quickly as we can to respond to the community's concerns and advice from Victorian Police on what measures we can put in place to keep the community safe,' he said. The AFL-WAG slammed his statement, flipping his own use of words: 'More than a year to wait is unacceptable.' 'Victorians, more than anyone, know just how quickly this government can introduce new laws when they want to. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Victorian Government and Mr Carbines' office for comment. The minister told the Herald Sun the impact of his new laws would be seen in future data pools. 'We've seen a 100 per cent increase in young offenders remanded,' he said. 'We've seen a 31 per cent increase in adult offenders remanded. We will start to see most people unable to commit further offending. 'So I would expect that we will start to see in the coming quarters the effect of repeat offenders who are behind bars.' The crime statistics come after a series of shocking incidents at Northland Shopping Centre in Preston. A man allegedly drove a stolen Toyota Landcruiser into the crowded shopping centre - then kept driving through the mall - just after 4pm on Wednesday. Less than 24 hour later, shoppers were forced to evacuate due to a small fire which had sparked in an electrical light. The centre was also plunged into lockdown in May following an alleged fight between teens armed with machetes.
National Post
2 days ago
- National Post
Suspects arrested, including a 16 year-old, after failed attempt to steal Doug Ford's car
Four suspects, including a 16-year-old, have been arrested after allegedly trying to steal a vehicle from the home of Ontario Premier Doug Ford overnight on Tuesday. Article content Ford discussed the incident later that day while speaking at an event marking the start of construction of a transit hub in Toronto's east end. Article content 'Four thugs come racing down my street. Masks on. Ready to take the car out of the driveway,' said Ford. 'Surprise, surprise. At 12:30 a.m., two police cars are there.' Article content Article content Toronto police officers who were at the scene saw the suspects wearing masks and driving in a vehicle near the home in the Lawrence Avenue West and Royal York Road area, according to authorities. The vehicle slowed down as it approached the driveway. Officers initiated a vehicle stop and investigated the suspects. Article content Article content Police said that officers found a car key programming device and a programmable master key inside the vehicle after a search. Article content 'But just imagine, all the unfortunate people that don't have security there at their house. (These people come) with masks on, and they have all the tools ready to break in,' said Ford. Article content Ford outlined the story after a 'rant' about the bail system. He said the 'system is broken' and that he would be 'all over' the prime minister, pushing for bail reform. He asked what the country is coming to when these 'criminals are running amok and terrorizing our neighbourhoods.' Article content Article content 'It's disgusting and something has to change,' he said, before he shared the story about 'stupid criminals' who allegedly tried to steal a car from his home. Article content Article content 'And guess what's going to happen? They're going to be back out,' said Ford, about the suspects. 'I'm sick and tired of the weak justice system that we have. They have to get a backbone. We need to start throwing these people in jail. This is turning into a lawless society.' Article content The four suspects — two 23-year-old men from Toronto, a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy — were arrested and charged with possessing an electronic device for motor vehicle theft and unlawfully purchasing an automobile master key. The 17-year-old was also charged with resisting arrest and failing to comply with undertaking. Article content
CTV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
‘I'm sick and tired of the weak justice system': Ford's heated rant on Canada's criminal code
Watch Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls for changes to the criminal code and bail reform in a heated rant after suspects in historic drug seizure have been released.
