Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is advocating for strict crime legislation as Parliament prepares to reconvene. He claims that some communities have turned into "war zones" and emphasizes the urgent need for a crackdown on crime. In response, the Liberal government is also planning to introduce its own legislation this fall aimed at reforming the bail system. Critics, including law enforcement and victims' rights advocates, argue that the current system is too lenient, allowing repeat offenders to remain in the community, which jeopardizes public safety.

Despite these concerns, recent data indicates that crime rates may be declining after a spike following the pandemic. Statistics Canada reports a 3.6 percent decrease in the police-reported crime rate, which now stands at 5,672 incidents per 100,000 people. However, this figure is still higher than it was when the last Liberal government took office in 2015. The decline is largely attributed to a significant drop in non-violent crimes, such as property and drug offenses, which fell by approximately six percent last year. The violent crime severity index saw a modest decline of about one percent.

In a news conference held in Vaughan, Ontario, Poilievre stated that "a majority of Canadians" are now fearful of living in the country due to rising crime rates. He announced plans to introduce a private member's bill focused on bail reform, a key promise from his campaign. Poilievre asserted that "crime is raging out of control," citing Statistics Canada data showing a 29 percent increase in homicides over the past decade. Last year, there were 788 homicide victims across Canada, up from 613 in 2015.

To address these issues, Poilievre's party plans to introduce the "Jail Not Bail Act." The bill's sponsor, MP Arpan Khanna, is positioned to have it debated this fall, although most private member's bills do not pass. If enacted, the legislation would reverse parts of the previous Liberal government's Bill C-75, which mandated that judges release certain individuals on bail at the "earliest reasonable opportunity" with minimal conditions.

Poilievre pointed to recent violent incidents involving individuals released on bail, including the case of Bailey McCourt, a woman allegedly murdered by her ex-husband shortly after he was released on bail for assault. He argued that some offenders should remain incarcerated while awaiting trial.

The proposed legislation would require judges to consider an accused person's complete criminal history when deciding on bail. Additionally, Poilievre aims to prohibit anyone convicted of an indictable offense from acting as a guarantor for someone on bail. This follows his earlier commitment to repeal Bill C-5, which expanded conditional sentences and allowed some offenders to serve time under house arrest.

Poilievre also proposed a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" law, which would prevent individuals convicted of three serious offenses from receiving bail, probation, parole, or house arrest. However, his proposals may face legal challenges based on previous court rulings. The Supreme Court of Canada has established that, for most alleged crimes, the default position is to release individuals on bail at the earliest reasonable opportunity with minimal conditions.

Poilievre stated he does not believe there is a need to invoke the notwithstanding clause to protect his proposals from legal scrutiny. He claimed, "We're the only party that stands up for the Charter rights of victims while the Liberals stand up for the Charter rights of criminals."

In response to Poilievre's comments, Justice Minister Sean Fraser criticized his approach, suggesting it would lead to a lawless environment. Fraser is expected to introduce the government's own bail legislation this fall, which aims to make it more difficult to obtain bail for serious offenses, including violent car thefts, home invasions, and human trafficking. Fraser stated, "We will be strengthening the system and cracking down on violent crime," following discussions with the Toronto Police Association, which has expressed concerns about previous Liberal bail policies.