3 hours ago
Swift News
The Ontario government has outlined a series of measures it wants to see from the federal government's upcoming legislation meant to tighten bail reform and sentencing rules.
A joint letter sent Monday by the province's solicitor general and attorney general is recommending a list of proposals for the federal government to increase public safety.
The list includes restoring mandatory minimum sentencing for serious crimes and removing bail availability for offenders charged with murder, terrorism, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, drug trafficking, criminal possession or use of restricted or prohibited firearms and violent carjackings and home invasions.
"It is critical that federal legislation meets the standard Canadians expect: cracking down on crime and keeping violent, repeat offenders behind bars where they belong," the letter reads.
Monday's letter is the latest volley in Premier Doug Ford's ongoing push for Ottawa to legislate stricter bail measures in the wake of several high-profile instances of crimes allegedly committed by offenders out on bail, including a 12-year-old boy who was charged with attempted murder connected to a shooting in Markham earlier this month.
Ford said in a social media post Monday that his government wrote the letter to the federal government to lay out Ontario's "expectation for tough bail reform that keeps criminals behind bars and keeps our streets safe."
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner also commented on the anticipated legislation Monday, saying in a social media post that "strong and meaningful bail reform is needed immediately."
"Canada's broken federal bail system continues to allow violent, repeat offenders back onto our streets," Kerzner said in the post on X.
