As reoffending crime is on the rise in Winnipeg, Mayor Scott Gillingham is calling on the federal government to pass Bill C-14. Speaking to the Senate Thursday morning, the mayor said bail reform is essential to make the city safer.
“Our support for bail reform isn’t about blindly being tough on crime. It’s a rational public policy response to obvious threats, destructive patterns, and repeated outcomes,” said Mayor Gillingham.
Numbers from Winnipeg police in March show 922 compliance/warranted person checks in its first two months, of which 36 per cent led to another arrest or arrest warrant.
“We want it to be made more difficult for violent repeat offenders to be released on bail and strengthen sentencing provisions for individuals who are posing these ongoing risks to our public safety. And that will happen with the passing of Bill C-14,” said Kathy Valentino, the president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities.
One of the clauses in the bill Mayor Gillingham is supporting is the reverse onus clause, meaning defendants would need to provide the Crown with a safety plan to justify the granting of bail.
“That now would require those who are the defendants to prove to the court that they should be released on bail,” said Mayor Gillingham.
Dr. Michael Weinrath, a criminal justice professor at the University of Winnipeg, says the reverse onus clause creates concerns regarding charter rights.
“So reverse onus, it kind of obviates your right to be considered innocent until proven guilty. And it certainly puts more tools in the hands of the Crown and police,” said Dr. Weinrath.
MGEU president, Kyle Ross, said in a statement that bail reform will also put strain on already overcrowded Manitoba prisons.
“We are concerned that without hiring more correctional officers, retaining the workers we currently have, and addressing existing capacity issues in Manitoba’s jails, that the overcrowding crisis will only get worse,” said Ross.
Dr. Weinrath added, “It would end up costing us money down the road just cramming all these individuals.”
A statement from the Department of Justice reads, “The federal government looks forward to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to ensure the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.”
After hearing from witnesses, the Senate will carry out a clause-by-clause review, but there is no timeline for Bill C-14’s passing at this time.
“Canadians need a justice system they believe in and for that to happen, we have to get repeat violent offenders off our streets,” said Mayor Gillingham.
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham. (Photo Credit: Mitchell Ringos, CityNews)