Ottawa — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to “immediately” scrap what he calls “Liberal bail” policies and support a motion to fast-track the Conservative “Jail Not Bail Act” through Parliament.
In a letter posted on social media Sunday, Poilievre called on the federal government to vote in favour of Bill C-242, arguing that the legislation would reverse bail reforms brought in under the Liberals and strengthen protections against violent and organized crime.
“C-242 (Jail Not Bail Act) repeals the failed Liberal ‘principle of restraint,’ strengthens bail for major violent and organized crimes like extortion and home invasion, requires judges to consider an accused’s criminal history and stops prolific offenders from vouching for other criminals,” the letter addressed to Carney stated.
The Conservatives say the bill would create a new category of major offences, covering serious crimes such as sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, home invasion, and firearms offences. It would also tighten bail provisions for repeat and violent offenders.
The Jail Not Bail Act was first unveiled in September and has been positioned by the Conservatives as a key element of their law-and-order agenda ahead of the fall parliamentary session.
The Prime Minister’s Office has not yet commented on the Conservative proposal.