On April 22, 2026, Shakir Rahim, Director of the Criminal Justice Program, testified on Bill C-14 restricting bail before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
The CCLA submitted a comprehensive brief to the committee suggesting eight amendments to the legislation:
- Remove reverse onuses that will capture first-time and non-violent alleged offenders.
- Remove the disapplication of the principle of restraint.
- Remove requirements for consecutive sentencing.
- Remove the sentencing aggravating factor related to essential infrastructure offences.
- Retain judicial oversight over the release of information identifying a young person under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
- Remove or reduce the new criminal record restrictions on sureties.
- Strengthen the new statutory data reporting requirement.
- Clarify the requirement for judicial reasons under s. 515(13.1) of the Code, to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous, Black, and vulnerable persons.
The CCLA’s brief can be read here.
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