The Conservative Party of Canada is proposing a new bill aimed at tightening bail laws to address rising crime rates. The Jail Not Bail Act, introduced by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and MP Arpan Khanna, seeks to prioritize public safety by preventing repeat offenders from being granted bail under lenient conditions.
The proposed legislation would create a new “Major Offences” category, which includes serious crimes like firearm offenses, sexual assault, home invasion, and robbery. Individuals charged with these crimes would face more stringent bail conditions, including mandatory consideration of their full criminal history. The bill also seeks to prevent people with serious criminal convictions from acting as guarantors for bail, and it would require non-residents to surrender their passports.
The Conservative move comes in response to increasing violent crime, with cases of repeat offenders committing serious crimes after being released on bail. The Jail Not Bail Act aims to close gaps in the current system, which the Conservatives say are putting Canadians at risk. The bill is seen as a direct challenge to the Liberal government’s existing bail laws, with the Conservatives calling for stronger measures to protect the public.
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