Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he is extremely frustrated that federal bail-reform legislation has not yet passed the Senate [1].
The delay is significant because the proposed laws aim to make it more difficult for repeat offenders to obtain bail, a priority for provincial leaders seeking to curb crime.
Speaking during a media availability in Toronto on May 4, 2024 [2], Ford said the process has been ongoing for over a year [1]. He said that Ontario led the charge for the changes and that 13 provincial premiers signed off on the legislation [1].
Despite this broad consensus, the bill remains under Senate review [1]. The legislation has received support from both the Liberal Party of Canada and the Conservative Party of Canada [1].
"I’m extremely frustrated," Ford said [1].
Ford said that the agreement involved 13 premiers and the prime minister [1]. The lack of progress in the Senate has left the provincial leaders waiting for the federal government to finalize the law [2].
"This has been over a year now. We led the charge here in Ontario and all premiers, all 13 of them signed off with the prime minister sitting the…" Ford said [1].
“"I’m extremely frustrated."”
The tension between Ontario's provincial government and the federal legislative process highlights a rare moment of bipartisan alignment between the Liberals and Conservatives that is being slowed by the Senate's review process. If the legislation passes, it would mark a significant shift in the Canadian judicial approach to repeat offenders by prioritizing detention over release.
