British Columbia’s Attorney General Niki Sharma and Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger are applauding Ottawa’s introduction of new federal bail and sentencing reforms aimed at curbing repeat and violent crime.
The federal government tabled Bill C-14: The Bail and Sentencing Reform Act on October 23, proposing Criminal Code changes that strengthen bail provisions, clarify when detention should be sought, and enhance sentencing tools for serious and repeat offences.
Attorney General Sharma said the bill reflects many of B.C.’s long-standing recommendations to improve public safety — including reverse-onus bail in high-risk cases, stronger tools to address extortion, and tougher measures for intimate-partner violence such as strangulation or suffocation. She noted the reforms align with B.C.’s calls to ensure bail decisions better reflect risk and protect victims.
Public Safety Minister Krieger said the new federal law directly addresses police and community frustrations with repeat offenders cycling through the system. The changes, she added, will help police, prosecutors, and courts keep communities safer and give the public more confidence in the justice system.
Both ministers emphasized that B.C. will continue to work with Ottawa to monitor the new measures and advocate for stronger protections for victims of gender-based and intimate-partner violence.
Comments