Federal bail bill becomes law; two crime bills await final passage

Canada's federal bail bill received royal assent Monday and became law, marking what is likely the last sitting week of the spring session.

Bill C-14 makes it more difficult to obtain bail for a range of crimes by imposing a reverse onus on bail — shifting the burden of proof from the prosecutor to the accused. The legislation targets vehicle thefts, extortion, and human trafficking offences, among others. It also allows for consecutive sentences for repeat violent offences, vehicle theft, breaking and entering, extortion, and arson.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser said the bill was "designed to target some of the most frequent causes of concern we hear in our engagement with communities across Canada."

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities welcomed the passage. "In communities of all sizes, local governments, police, firefighters, paramedics and other front-line responders witness daily the strain repeat offending places on public safety, essential services, residents, workers and local businesses," said president Tim Tierney.

Fraser told reporters Tuesday that two other crime bills could also receive royal assent by week's end. Bill C-16 would restore mandatory minimum imprisonment penalties and criminalize coercive control and non-consensual sexual deepfakes. The Combating Hate Act (Bill C-9) creates new offences for intimidating or obstructing someone outside a religious or cultural institution.

B.C.'s attorney general Niki Sharma said she was "especially encouraged by changes to reverse-onus bail provisions, one of B.C.'s top priorities in our proposals to the federal government. Too many families in British Columbia have experienced devastating loss because of repeat violence."