The federal government has introduced long-awaited amendments to Canada’s bail system.
Justice Minister David Lametti tabled Bill C-48 in Parliament on Tuesday.
If passed, the bill would amend the Criminal Code to create a reverse onus provision for a variety of offences, which the country’s 13 premiers and territorial leaders have been calling on for months.
Those include repeat offenders, specific firearm offences, and intimate partner violence.
The bill would also require the court to consider if an accused person has any previous convictions involving violence and to include in the record a statement that the safety and security of the community was considered.