TORONTO – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association strongly opposes the bail and sentencing changes announced today by the Prime Minister.
“There is no evidence that bail causes crime,” said Shakir Rahim, Director of the Criminal Justice Program. “In fact, some of the offences the Prime Minister singled out to restrict bail by reverse onus have been dropping for years. According to Statistics Canada, motor vehicle theft charges are down 10% since 2020 and 27% since 2010.”
“For years, civil society and even the Senate have urged the government to collect and publish standardized bail data. We do not even have basic numbers, like how many people allegedly commit new offences while on bail. The PM today made no indication that would change.” Rahim said.
“Law making absent evidence can’t help but be bad law”, added CCLA Executive Director Howard Sapers. “And taking away judicial discretion in sentencing is the wrong move. If someone shows excellent prospects for rehabilitation or has already addressed the issues that brought them into court, judges should have the ability to impose an individualized, fair, and proportionate sentence.”
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
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