Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the bail system and criminal justice policy. Recent tragic events, marked by violent crimes committed by repeat offenders, are a painful reminder of the impact these acts have on our communities. These situations are unacceptable.

I want to begin by offering my deepest condolences to the families of the victims, including the loved ones of Bailey McCourt in Kelowna and Abdul Aleem Farooqi in Vaughan.

Let us be clear. Our Liberal government is committed to fighting crime and keeping Canadians safe. In our 2025 platform, we promised to tighten bail rules for serious and organized crime, and we will.

Canadians have given us a clear mandate to act, and we will do so, whether it be in relation to car theft, organized crime, home invasions, human trafficking and smuggling. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice have also reiterated this commitment. We will introduce legislation this fall for stricter bail and sentencing measures. I hope my hon. colleague will be satisfied.

As everyone knows, the criminal justice system is a shared jurisdiction with the provinces and territories, which are responsible for administering the criminal justice system across the country. The federal government is working closely with the provinces and territories, including representatives from law enforcement agencies, to address concerns about the bail system and develop effective solutions. These issues will also be central to discussions among ministers in October at the meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for justice and public safety.

Last year, with the former Bill C‑48, we tightened the rules for violent repeat offenders and those who use weapons. This bill also strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence. All provinces and territories, including the Conservative ones, unanimously supported these reforms.

However, we know that there is still work to be done, of course. Our government recognizes the need to continue strengthening the Criminal Code provisions relating to bail. I can say with great confidence that the government continues to listen and make the necessary changes to address the concerns that have been raised.

I do want to point out that it is curious, to say the least, to see the strategy the Conservatives have chosen when it comes to making recommendations for bail reform. The “three strikes and you're out” motion they put forward last week was absurd. This policy has been a failure everywhere it has been tried. It is an idea that comes straight from the United States. I do not know if the official opposition remembers the last election, which it lost so decisively, but Canadians want made-in-Canada laws.

We agree that action is needed to keep repeat violent offenders off our streets, but this is Canada, not the United States, and the people of La Prairie—Atateken, whom I represent, want to keep it that way.

This fall, we will introduce a bill to improve our bail system, and I call on all parties to set partisanship aside and work with us to deliver the evidence-based solutions that Canadians expect and deserve.

Jacques Ramsay

Transcript

Adjournment Proceedings

Discussions (0)