Carney says tougher bail, sentencing rules to be introduced next week

The federal government will introduce new legislation around bail reform aimed at keeping violent criminals and repeat offenders off the street.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the Minister of Justice will be tabling legislation next week that will focus new reverse-onus bail provisions for violent and organized crime-related offences.

Carney says under the reverse-onus provision, it will no longer be up to the Crown to prove why someone should stay behind bars, it will be up to the accused to prove to the court why they can be trusted to be released.

“Right now, in most bail hearings, the starting point is to release and the Crown must prove why someone should not be released on bail, making it too easy for repeat violent offenders to quickly get back on the street,” said Carney during