Mounties’ Union Calls on Ottawa to Implement Bail Reform Measures

Members of the RCMP march during the Calgary Stampede parade in Calgary on July 6, 2018. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

The union representing members of the RCMP is calling on the federal government to implement a number of bail reform measures to address rising crime rates in Canada’s major cities and improve safety for police officers.

In a July 12 discussion paper, Brian Sauvé, president and CEO of the National Police Federation (NPF), outlined seven recommendations that the union has brought before the federal government.

Mr. Sauvé told reporters in Ottawa on July 18 that the NPF is also calling on provincial and territorial governments to “commit to smarter bail reforms that go beyond legislation, and that the federal government immediately clarify the ongoing assessment and its intentions.”

The NPF’s seven recommendations on bail reform include calling on Ottawa to establish “a national standing committee on Canadian criminal justice system data sharing,” which would collect information on current crime trends and publish reports that include recommended actions for data sharing and program reforms.

The union is also calling on Ottawa and the provincial and territorial governments to invest in deploying technologies that have been “proven effective at monitoring bail condition compliance.” In addition, it wants jurisdictions that use a Justice of the Peace (JP) to preside at bail hearings to establish a standard qualification for those JPs.

The NPF further says the federal government should begin a “national, systematic study” to pinpoint and implement the most effective bail provisions, adding that the province and territories should commit more resources toward the collection and sharing of data that can be used in bail decisions.

Bail Reform

The NPF’s last two recommendations are that governments should commit to “evidence-informed bail reforms” that include alternatives to monetary bail deposits and sureties, and that all governments should “invest in creating a community bail enforcement monitoring system, involving dedicated law enforcement units.”

The union’s call for bail reform measures comes just over two months after the federal government tabled Bill C-48, which proposes a number of changes to Canada’s Criminal Code and the federal bail system.

Among other changes to the code, the proposed legislation would require federal courts to consider an accused person’s violent criminal history and community safety record when making bail decisions.

Mr. Sauvé told reporters on July 18 that while the NPF welcomes the changes proposed in Bill C-48, the legislation “cannot be the only solution.”

“Provincial and territorial governments must now look at their own justice systems and make needed improvements,” he said. “Our justice system is complex, with many interrelated challenges and flaws that cannot be addressed through legislation alone.”

He added, “Our criminal justice system basically needs better data and information to identify, address, and mitigate future risks through informed decision-making.”