Shakir Rahim, Director of the Criminal Justice Program, said, “The Ontario Government’s proposal to require cash bail creates two tiers of justice: one for the rich, and the other for the rest us. Innocent, but can’t afford to pay to be released? You are stuck in jail for years until you can clear your name in court, even if you would have complied with all your bail conditions. This proposal appears to apply to everyone, including first-time offenders with no criminal record.”
Rahim added, “There are serious doubts about whether the province has the constitutional authority to put forward this proposal. The federal government is responsible for criminal procedure under the Constitution Act, not the province.”
Howard Sapers, Executive Director, said, “The government’s plan will sharply increase the number of people sent to overcrowded provincial jails with inhumane conditions, where a record number of people are already behind bars awaiting trial.”
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