OPP officer killed in shooting near Hagersville, Ont.; 2 suspects in custody

[Ron in Regina]

Common knowledge. I think it is even in the rules someplace. Or maybe it was a thread a long time ago.

This has been coming up for 1/2 a century, long before the public was allowed access to the Interwebs.

So the upshot of all this is Liberals are soft on crime for some reason known only to themselves. And, of course the long suffering taxpayer is on the hook for not only the costs of the joke of a just us system, but also for the costs of stolen articles and damages done and resulting rise in insurance costs.

Actually, the Liberals had backing of some Conservatives & NDP’er in the early ‘70’s on this…but that was 50 years ago.

They were the inevitable result of criminal justice, prison and parole measures passed by Canadian federal governments starting in the 1970s.

These were initially implemented by the Liberal government of then prime minister Pierre Trudeau, which openly acknowledged its intent was “to stress the rehabilitation of individuals rather than the protection of society.”

…& that plus time puts us where we are. Some will say, “But the Scoreboard says that there’s less crime and less this and less that and the other things…” but if you change the way you measure things, and then change the things that’re being measured, you can have the Scoreboard say whatever you want it to.

Five decades later, Canadians continue to reap the whirlwind of those decisions with hardened criminals arrested, charged and released on bail to commit more crimes or, upon conviction, receiving early parole, making a mockery of sentences pronounced in court.

“For too long a time now,” Goyer (Jean-Pierre Goyer, Papa Trudeau’s Solicitor General in 1971) said, “Blah blah blah” leading to “Consequently, we have decided from now on, to stress the rehabilitation of individuals rather than the protection of society … Our reforms will perhaps be criticized for being too liberal or for omitting to protect society against dangerous criminals. Indeed, this new rehabilitation policy will probably demand much striving and involve some risks …”

….& again, here we are.

The practical effect of this Liberal philosophy, endorsed by the opposition of the time, was to elevate rehabilitation of the offender — however faint the hope it would occur — above other purposes of sentencing such as denouncing unlawful conduct, deterrence and the protection of society.

So the protection of society took a backseat to the Catch & Release program for violent repeat offenders that I suspect are responsible for the bulk of crimes.

While the Conservative government of Stephen Harper attempted to re-establish the importance of the denunciation of unlawful conduct, deterrence and the protection of society in sentencing, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has steadily eroded those efforts, scrapping mandatory minimum sentences for serious gun crimes — as has the Supreme Court of Canada — and making bail even easier to obtain than in the past.

Five things to know about Liberal justice reforms in Bill C-75

OTTAWA — Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould introduced a massive bill Thursday aimed at tackling court delays and improving the fairness of the criminal justice …

nationalpost.com

Then in 2018, there was an uproar when an all-white jury acquitted Saskatchewan farmer Gerald Stanley, 56, in the shooting death of Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old First Nations man. These armed invading thief’s where repelled by the landowner, and Justin Trudeau got in his sound bite during an active trial in an effort to prejudice things against Gerald Stanley in a pattern that we’ve seen over & over like with Admiral Mark Norman or Jody Wilson Raybould for example demonstrating that as the Leader of the current Government, laws are to be inflicted upon the peons and not the Cream like himself (think of SNC Lavatory or the recent Emergencies Act overreach).

If laws are “Not for the Protection of Society, but for the Rehabilitation of the Offender, or to keep the smelly Truckers with their Unacceptable Views (=different than what Justin declares) from blocking the view from Parliament” and the PM himself disregards the laws and ethics when convenient for himself and his Merry Band of Peoplekind-Arseholes that are just following his lead.

 

[Taxslave2]

Taxslave2 said:
Common knowledge. I think it is even in the rules someplace. Or maybe it was a thread a long time ago.

This has been coming up for 1/2 a century, long before the public was allowed access to the Interwebs.

This was in reference to his lack of knowledge aboiut purple posts.

 

[Ron in Regina]

This was in reference to his lack of knowledge aboiut purple posts.

Sorry, I thought is was in reference to the “to stress the rehabilitation of individuals rather than the protection of society” thing. My apologies.

 

[spaminator]

Slain OPP officer's private funeral to be livestreamed
An in-person broadcast is expected to be held at the Caledonia Lions Hall in Haldimand County

Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jan 02, 2023 • 1 minute read
OPP Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala, 28, was fatally shot while responding to a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville, Ont. on Dec. 27, 2022.
OPP Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala, 28, was fatally shot while responding to a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville, Ont. on Dec. 27, 2022. PHOTO BY HANDOUT /OPP
The funeral for the Ontario Provincial Police officer killed last week is set to be held Wednesday morning at an arena in his hometown of Barrie.


The OPP says the private service for 28-year-old Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala will start at 11 a.m. at the Sadlon Arena.


His family and their guests will be joined by members of the OPP, other police services and Canadian Armed Forces members, along with other emergency services personnel and officials.

The funeral is not open to the public, but an in-person broadcast of the funeral is expected to be held at the Caledonia Lions Hall in Haldimand County, where Pierzchala was based with the OPP. The Toronto Sun will host the livestream on our website.

Slain OPP officer Grzegorz Pierzchala died while performing his 'dream job,' says the constable's friend and former wrestling coach.
OPP Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala was shot and killed by an assailant near Hagersville on Dec. 27, 2022. PHOTO BY SUPPLIED /Toronto Sun
Pierzchala, a former constable at the provincial legislature and member of the Armed Forces, was killed in what police have called an “ambush” attack after he responded to a call for a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville on Dec. 27.

Twenty-five-year-old Randall McKenzie and 30-year-old Brandi Crystal Lyn Stewart-Sperry each face a charge of first-degree murder in his death.

Slain OPP officer's private funeral to be livestreamed

The funeral for the Ontario Provincial Police officer killed last week is set to be held Wednesday at an arena in his hometown of Barrie.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

An emotional farewell to an officer and a gentleman
Author of the article:Michele Mandel
Published Jan 04, 2023 • 3 minute read

We owed so much more to that impressive young rookie.


For the fifth time since September, the Ontario policing community gathered to say goodbye to one of their own — this time, it was OPP Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala, killed in the line of duty on the very day he learned he’d passed his 10-month probation.


Just 28, Pierzchala had been responding to a vehicle in a ditch near Hagersville. Who could imagine that such a routine call on an afternoon two days after Christmas would end in an ambush and senseless murder?

In the pouring rain, more than 7,000 officers, relatives and friends gathered in Sadlon Arena, the same Barrie location where another funeral was held just a few months ago for two South Simcoe Police officers who were shot and killed Oct. 11 at an Innisfil home.


It has been a tragic roll call of deaths: Toronto Police Const. Andrew Hong, 48, was fatally shot Sept. 12 and York Regional Police Const. Travis Gillespie, 38, was on his way to work when allegedly killed by an impaired driver on Sept. 14.


“We’ve never lost so many police officers in this province in such a short time,” Lieut. Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell told the sea of blue.

And what a loss this was.

Pierzchala was an inspirational big brother, an art aficionado, a novice gardener, an enthusiastic, if lousy, dancer, an accomplished athlete skilled in jiu jitsu. But beyond his love for his family, mourners heard his true passion was policing and after years of effort — from the Canadian Armed Forces to working as a special constable at Queen’s Park — the York University psychology grad was finally living his dream.




“It was what he wanted to do from the time he was five years old,” said an emotional Premier Doug Ford, who has several sons-in-law who are police officers. “It was his calling.”

Michal Pierzchala described a big brother who was fiercely honest and obsessed with excellence, a straight arrow who might have been difficult to live up to — yet his example never ceased to inspire him.


“I remember thinking, ‘Oh, Greg just bought flowers for our mom. After working out for two hours. After finishing a 12-hour shift — I should probably go do something today,'” he said to laughter from the audience.

“Greg was the most courageous person I knew,” he added in a more serious vein. “He was always doing challenging things that he was afraid of. But courage, it’s not about never being afraid; it’s about doing the right thing despite being afraid.


“And really it’s the defining quality of all the police officers who are willing to risk their lives for us every day.”

But it’s exceedingly unfair when the very justice system they serve places them at even more risk than necessary.


In his fiery eulogy, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique spoke of his “anger and outrage over the senseless and preventable circumstances surrounding Greg’s death.”

Charged with first-degree murder, Randall McKenzie, 25, of Kingston, was out on bail and under a weapons ban at the time of the shooting and a warrant had been issued for his arrest four months earlier after he failed to show up for a court date. Police alleged the officer was “essentially ambushed” by McKenzie and his co-accused Brandi Stewart-Sperry, 30, of Hamilton.


Carrique has thousands under his command, but he remembered meeting the promising young recruit during Easter when he was out cycling and stopped to say hello to an officer he spotted in an OPP cruiser by the side of the road.

It turned out Pierzchala was patrolling on his own for the very first time. “He’d just been granted what we at the OPP refer to as his ‘day wings’ — one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking days in every provincial constable’s career.”



Pierzchala asked if they could take a selfie together and his commander happily obliged. “Little did I know that only eight months later, at Christmas no less, our paths would cross again. However, this time, this time sadly, it would be his final tour of duty.”

He must have been flying that day after receiving a glowing final report on completing his probation. Just hours later, a young man of such goodness and promise, an officer and a gentleman, was cut down — allegedly by someone who should have been safely behind bars.

Pierzchala swore to serve and protect us. But what did we do to protect him?

mmandel@postmedia.com

MANDEL: An emotional farewell to an officer and a gentleman

Thousands of police officers, relatives and friends filled a Barrie arena to bid farewell to slain OPP Const. Grzegorz (Greg) Pierzchala.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Slain OPP officer 'died a hero and he lived as an inspiration'
Justyna Pierzchala said her older brother took his job of watching over her very seriously.

Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Jan 04, 2023 • 3 minute read

BARRIE — Const. Greg Pierzchala enjoyed nature, was a fan of art, excelled at his job as a new police officer and above all, loved protecting his family and the communities he served.


Loved ones, friends and fellow officers gathered Wednesday at a funeral for the Ontario Provincial Police constable who was killed in a shooting ambush last week, remembering the 28-year-old as “humble, generous, funny and competent.”


Justyna Pierzchala said her older brother took his job of watching over her very seriously.

“He was always making sure that I was in a good place, both mentally and physically, and was always checking to make sure that I was headed in the right direction … Greg was so much more than just a police officer,” she said.

“Greg died a hero and he lived as an inspiration.”


Greg Pierzchala was attacked as he responded to a call for a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville, police have said. Two people have been charged with first-degree murder.

Police have said Pierzchala had been a provincial officer for just over a year and had been notified hours before his death that he had passed his 10-month probation period. He was also previously a member of the Canadian Armed Forces and a constable at the provincial legislature.

Pierzchala dreamt of joining the police ranks as a boy and his colleagues have remembered him as a wonderful officer with a big heart made of gold.

His brother Michal Pierzchala remembered the officer as someone with exacting standards who also acknowledged when a person had done something right.


“I think what really separated him from others were his high standards for everything in his life,” he said.

“He made you want to be a better person. He made you want to make your own life better and I can’t think of a better influence someone can have than that.”





The officer’s family said Greg Pierzchala enjoyed martial arts, loved nature, was an avid reader and could stare at paintings in a museum for hours. His colleagues said the young man loved serving his community.

A procession that was held before Pierzchala’s private funeral in Barrie, Ont., saw a police motorcade make its way through the city streets as several members of the public watched.

Inside the arena, officers were asked to remove their peaked caps as Pierzchala’s casket was carried to the front of the venue.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who joined the hundreds of officers in attendance at the Sadlon Arena in the officer’s hometown, said the death had highlighted the difficulties of the job.

“This brave young man died just two days after Christmas,” Ford said at the beginning of the ceremony. “It’s yet another difficult reminder that the job of a police officer is one of total commitment.”


Ford told the service that Pierzchala’s death was a “painful reminder that policing is a family calling.”

“The people he really served will never forget your sacrifice,” Ford said to the officer’s family. “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your son and brother with us.”

Court documents show 25-year-old Randall McKenzie — one of two people accused in the attack on Pierzchala — had been denied bail in an unrelated case involving a number of assault and weapons charges months before the shooting, but was released after a review. A warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to show up for a court date in August, the documents show.


Pierzchala’s brother said his sibling was aware of the risks of the job but chose to serve nonetheless. He also said his brother, who visited the family home every week, would always make it a point of saying a proper goodbye to his loved ones when he left.

Michal Pierzchala said the words of one of his brother’s favourite authors, Charles Dickens, was fitting for the funeral.

“I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss,” he read. “I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy … It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”

Slain OPP officer 'died a hero and he lived as an inspiration'

Justyna Pierzchala said her older brother took his job of watching over her very seriously.

torontosun.com

 

[spaminator]

Judge who released man later charged in cop's death weighed Indigenous background
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Published Feb 10, 2023 • 1 minute read

A judge who granted bail to a man later accused of killing an Ontario Provincial Police officer noted his Indigenous background and the overrepresentation of Indigenous individuals in the correctional system when deciding to release the man from custody.


In audio of the bail hearing, obtained by The Canadian Press through the courts, Justice Harrison Arrell says he understood concerns about Randall McKenzie’s violent criminal record at the time but was obligated to give careful consideration to his Indigenous background.


McKenzie was out on bail when he allegedly killed OPP Const. Greg Pierzchala in late December and he is one of two people facing a charge of first-degree murder in the officer’s death.

Arrell had granted McKenzie bail in June under strict conditions as he awaited trial in a case where he was accused of assault and a number of weapons charges in an incident involving his son’s mother and her boyfriend.

Records indicate a judge issued a warrant for McKenzie’s arrest in August when he failed to show up for a scheduled court date.



Judges are required, when making a bail and sentencing decision, to consider the unique circumstances of an Indigenous person, such as the impacts of colonization, including family separation.

While an accused can ask for a publication ban on a bail proceeding, court records and audio recordings indicate McKenzie did not request a ban.

Judge who released man later charged in cop's death weighed Indigenous background

A judge who granted bail to a man later accused of killing an Ontario Provincial Police officer noted his Indigenous background and the overrepresentation of Indige…

torontosun.com

 

[The_Foxer]

So we're saying that murder while native is fine then i guess.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

So we're saying that murder while native is fine then i guess.

It is the way. . . *dwamatic pause*. . . OF MY PEOPLE!

 

[The_Foxer]

It is the way. . . *dwamatic pause*. . . OF MY PEOPLE!

People like that need to go away. No matter who's people they are.

 

[Taxslave2]

So we're saying that murder while native is fine then i guess.

Equality.

 

[The_Foxer]

Equality.

Some seem to be more equal than others

 

[Ron in Regina]

Wood: “You talk about bail; the crime has already happened – alleged crime has already happened – so how can you attribute bail to this increase in crime and not the more supportive measures to prevent the crime in the first base? They’ve already allegedly committed the crime.”

Poilievre laughed: “They are committing crimes on bail. That is the problem. The problem is I give you an example in Vancouver, the same 40 offenders were arrested 6,000 times. In a year. That is 150 arrests per offender per year. Why? Because there are arrested in the morning, then released on bail by noon, they re-offend, they are back in jail by two in the afternoon and then they released by the evening so that they can commit their final grant before they go to bed.”

Wood: “Is this not a failure of this system is something (does not support) people who have committed crimes, who has gone to jail, served their sentences, and then they’re committing another crime so is this not a failure of things like social services and support for people have committed crimes?”

Poilievre: “Are you serious?”

Wood: “I am asking a question.”

Poilievre: “Come on are you serious? Come on. No excuse me, let me answer your question. Are you honestly saying that it’s society’s fault if a repeat violent offender commits 60 or 70 offences. I think that a criminal is to blame for his own actions. He is personally responsible. We are not talking about some kid who made one mistake when he was 19. We are talking about people who do 60, 70 violent offences. Because they are criminals.”

Wood: “But why are there criminals?”

Poilievre: “Because they do crime.”

Wood: “Why do they do crime?”

Poilievre: “Because we let them out early on bail. I think you should solve the riddle here.”

Wood: “Because they got let out early on bail they then commit the crime?”

Poilievre: “That’s right. That’s what all the experts agree is the cause of the crime.”

Wood: “Jail not bail, as you say, if they stayed in jail they would then not commit crimes?”

Poilievre: “Because they would be in jail so they couldn’t commit crime.”

Wood: “When they go out to the end of the sentence are they crime free?”

Poilievre: “Well we can’t guarantee that will what we can guarantee is that the period when they are behind bars they cannot commit crime.”

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Poilievre gives lesson on Trudeau's catch and release policy — Toronto Sun

WATCH BELOW as Pierre Poilievre tries to explain to a member of the media why Trudeau’s catch and release policy has caused a rise in crime. What do YOU think? Tweet and Facebook us!

apple.news

Amendments to strengthen Canada’s bail system

Amendments to strengthen Canada’s bail system

www.justice.gc.ca

Bail-reform legislation doesn't go far enough, Manitoba justice minister says — Global News

Manitoba's justice minister says while there are some positives to new federal bail-reform legislation, it won't crack down on youth crime.

apple.news

Although it’s an issue that’s been championed hard by the Conservative opposition benches, everyone from police departments to mayors to a unanimous declaration by all 13 provincial premiers have been sounding the alarm for months on what’s often called Canada’s “catch and release” bail system.

'Are you serious?' Pierre Poilievre lambastes reporter over bail question — National Post

'Are you honestly saying that it’s society’s fault if a repeat violent offender commits 60 or 70 offences?'

apple.news

FIRST READING: Easy bail policies make 'much of our work pointless,' Canadian police chiefs warn — National Post

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police calls for "urgent" meeting with all 13 premiers to address an “intensive escalation” in violence

apple.news

KINSELLA: Lametti has done the right thing with proposed bail reforms — Toronto Sun

Let’s give credit where credit’s due. Namely: David Lametti’s proposed bail reforms are exceptionally good. Outstandingly good. It was not always thus. Since he became Canada’s Minister of Justice, David Lametti has not exactly covered himself with glory. A sampling: • He has suggested that...

apple.news

…& then this is last month in Parliament:

 

[petros]

Wood: “You talk about bail; the crime has already happened – alleged crime has already happened – so how can you attribute bail to this increase in crime and not the more supportive measures to prevent the crime in the first base? They’ve already allegedly committed the crime.”

Poilievre laughed: “They are committing crimes on bail. That is the problem. The problem is I give you an example in Vancouver, the same 40 offenders were arrested 6,000 times. In a year. That is 150 arrests per offender per year. Why? Because there are arrested in the morning, then released on bail by noon, they re-offend, they are back in jail by two in the afternoon and then they released by the evening so that they can commit their final grant before they go to bed.”

Wood: “Is this not a failure of this system is something (does not support) people who have committed crimes, who has gone to jail, served their sentences, and then they’re committing another crime so is this not a failure of things like social services and support for people have committed crimes?”

Poilievre: “Are you serious?”

Wood: “I am asking a question.”

Poilievre: “Come on are you serious? Come on. No excuse me, let me answer your question. Are you honestly saying that it’s society’s fault if a repeat violent offender commits 60 or 70 offences. I think that a criminal is to blame for his own actions. He is personally responsible. We are not talking about some kid who made one mistake when he was 19. We are talking about people who do 60, 70 violent offences. Because they are criminals.”

Wood: “But why are there criminals?”

Poilievre: “Because they do crime.”

Wood: “Why do they do crime?”

Poilievre: “Because we let them out early on bail. I think you should solve the riddle here.”

Wood: “Because they got let out early on bail they then commit the crime?”

Poilievre: “That’s right. That’s what all the experts agree is the cause of the crime.”

Wood: “Jail not bail, as you say, if they stayed in jail they would then not commit crimes?”

Poilievre: “Because they would be in jail so they couldn’t commit crime.”

Wood: “When they go out to the end of the sentence are they crime free?”

Poilievre: “Well we can’t guarantee that will what we can guarantee is that the period when they are behind bars they cannot commit crime.”

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Poilievre gives lesson on Trudeau's catch and release policy — Toronto Sun

WATCH BELOW as Pierre Poilievre tries to explain to a member of the media why Trudeau’s catch and release policy has caused a rise in crime. What do YOU think? Tweet and Facebook us!

apple.news

Amendments to strengthen Canada’s bail system

Amendments to strengthen Canada’s bail system

www.justice.gc.ca

Bail-reform legislation doesn't go far enough, Manitoba justice minister says — Global News

Manitoba's justice minister says while there are some positives to new federal bail-reform legislation, it won't crack down on youth crime.

apple.news

Although it’s an issue that’s been championed hard by the Conservative opposition benches, everyone from police departments to mayors to a unanimous declaration by all 13 provincial premiers have been sounding the alarm for months on what’s often called Canada’s “catch and release” bail system.

'Are you serious?' Pierre Poilievre lambastes reporter over bail question — National Post

'Are you honestly saying that it’s society’s fault if a repeat violent offender commits 60 or 70 offences?'

apple.news

FIRST READING: Easy bail policies make 'much of our work pointless,' Canadian police chiefs warn — National Post

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police calls for "urgent" meeting with all 13 premiers to address an “intensive escalation” in violence

apple.news

KINSELLA: Lametti has done the right thing with proposed bail reforms — Toronto Sun

Let’s give credit where credit’s due. Namely: David Lametti’s proposed bail reforms are exceptionally good. Outstandingly good. It was not always thus. Since he became Canada’s Minister of Justice, David Lametti has not exactly covered himself with glory. A sampling: • He has suggested that...

apple.news

Jail won't fix the problem either. To truly fix the crime issue it is going to take something drastic.

Is Poilievre going to get the support necessary to make an amendment to the Charter to not just jail criminals but make rehabilitation and education in jail mandatory?

The Social babysitters now promoting "safe supply" arent helping a damn thing. They will still steal a purse or shoplift or suck cock in an alley to buy safe drugs.

 

[Ron in Regina]

We’ll just have to wait and see how about to get in the next couple of years. Time will tell.

 

[petros]

We’ll just have to wait and see how about to get in the next couple of years. Time will tell.

We don't have a couple years. Climate change is causing the spike in crime. The News world order said it could be this year we hit 1.5C above the coldestest industrial era in 13000 years.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Canada's got a lot of open land where a body likely'd never be found, don't it?

 

[Ron in Regina]

Canada's got a lot of open land where a body likely'd never be found, don't it?

Found and missed are two different things.

We don't have a couple years. Climate change is causing the spike in crime. The News world order said it could be this year we hit 1.5C above the coldestest industrial era in 13000 years.

We do have some weird priorities from the top. It’s good to see that the governing entity at the top is beginning to see & hear beyond their green tinted glasses…

Jail won't fix the problem either. To truly fix the crime issue it is going to take something drastic.

Is Poilievre going to get the support necessary to make an amendment to the Charter to not just jail criminals but make rehabilitation and education in jail mandatory?

The Social babysitters now promoting "safe supply" arent helping a damn thing. They will still steal a purse or shoplift or suck cock in an alley to buy safe drugs.

Poilievre’s popularity is rising quickly, & Trudeau (or his advisor) is aware I’m sure, so he might shut things down early for Parliament for the summer to quiet everyone up, campaign through the summer throwing our money like it was someone else’s cash, put Singh to the curb in the Fall, and have the shortest (35 days or less if he can wiggle it) running election before the end of 2023.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Amid a wave of random violent attacks committed by repeat offenders on bail, the Liberals have finally introduced their much-awaited plan to cut down on Canada’s crisis of so-called “catch-and-release” justice.

While police organizations have welcomed the reforms as a concrete step to rein in “repeat violent offenders,” Conservatives and legal critics are saying it will do shockingly little to reform a justice system that remains tilted towards chronic releases of violent offenders.

Bill C-48 was introduced Tuesday by Justice Minister David Lametti, who touted it as a “targeted” measure “to strengthen our bail system.”

It’s only eight pages, and its main provision is the expansion of a “reverse onus” on bail for suspects charged with a violent crime.

Under normal circumstances, it’s up to prosecutors to show whether a suspect charged with a crime should be kept in pre-trial detention, rather than being released on bail with a court date.

But in extreme cases — such as homicide — the onus is reversed, and it’s suddenly up to the accused to argue why they deserve freedom.

What C-48 does is to apply a reverse onus to suspects charged with a violent offence who have previously been convicted of another violent offence “within the last five years.”

Police — who have been at the forefront of pushing for bail reform — expressed appreciation for C-48. In a joint statement with other law enforcement representatives, Canadian Police Association President Tom Stamatakis called the bill “common-sense legislation that responds to the concerns our members raised.”

The statement was clear that they weren’t seeking an across-the-board toughening of bail. Rather, they simply wanted a mechanism to deal with the “small number of repeat violent offenders who commit a disproportionate number of offences.”

FIRST READING: Inside the Liberals' bail reform law that is a 'scam they're pulling on the public' — National Post

While touted as a fix for chronically released violent offenders, there's compelling evidence it won't do anything whatsoever

apple.news

Bill C-48 is very specific about what it considers “violence.”

To qualify for the new reverse onus provision, a suspect has to be charged with a crime involving “violence and the use of a weapon,” and their record over the last five years must also include a conviction for “violence and the use of a weapon.”

Thus, it doesn’t affect anyone who prefers to commit violent crime with their hands. It’s also irrelevant in cases of chronic property crime.

The only exception would be in cases where someone awaiting domestic abuse charges is again arrested for domestic abuse: That scenario will warrant a “reverse onus” for bail as per C-48, even if the suspect didn’t use a weapon.

The bill also does nothing to reverse a measure – first passed by the Liberals in 2018 — that requires judges to prioritize bail for any suspect coming from a historically “marginalized” community.

 

[Ron in Regina]

We don't have a couple years. Climate change is causing the spike in crime. The News world order said it could be this year we hit 1.5C above the coldestest industrial era in 13000 years.