October 17, 2025
Satinder Sukraat
Brampton North–Caledon MP and Secretary of State responsible for Combatting Crime, Ruby Sahota, says the federal government is preparing to introduce new bail reform legislation next week aimed at addressing growing public safety concerns and repeat offences.
Speaking on RED FM’s Morning Show, Sahota said the move comes after years of mounting frustration from police agencies and communities across Canada.
“For the past year — maybe even for a few years now — we’ve been seeing feedback coming from police agencies, and in the news as well, showing that things have gotten worse,” Sahota said. “Many of the criminals — repeat and federal offenders especially — are being released again, and it’s often shocking to see them commit new crimes after their release.”
She added that victims and police officers have increasingly voiced concerns about the loopholes in the current bail system, which allow repeat offenders to return to the streets too soon.
The upcoming legislation will include a ‘reverse onus’ provision, a key change that would make it harder for repeat or violent offenders to be granted bail.
Explaining the measure, Sahota said, “The concept of ‘reverse onus’ means that in our current system, the starting position in courts is generally in favor of release — meaning, a person should be released unless there’s a clear reason not to. With this change, the accused will instead have to demonstrate why they should be released.”
She emphasized that the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ remains central to Canada’s justice system but said reform is needed to ensure public safety and restore confidence in the courts.
In her closing remarks, Sahota said the government’s main goal is to protect communities and strengthen public safety, especially in areas like Calgary where the issue has become a major concern.
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