Niki Sharma, Attorney General, and Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, have released the following statements in response to the introduction of new, proposed Criminal Code amendments and public safety commitments by the federal government:

Niki Sharma, Attorney General, said:

“The federal government’s announcement today of new measures to amend the Criminal Code and other federal statutes are a promising step toward keeping people safe and holding perpetrators accountable. Many of the actions reflect proposals our government put forward to better protect people from repeat violent offenders and strengthen public safety.

“British Columbia has led the country in calling for reforms that put public safety first, including bail decisions that better reflect risk, impose stronger consequences for repeat and violent offenders and provide better protections for victims of intimate-partner and gender-based violence. The federal government’s proposed amendments reflect many of the priorities B.C. has championed, such as reverse-onus bail in high-risk cases and expanded sentencing tools for serious repeat offences, ensuring that bail determinations consider both the seriousness and the number of past offences, better tools to address extortion and a sharper focus on harms and intimate-partner violence, such as strangulation, suffocation and choking.

“In my letters to Sean Fraser, federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, earlier this year, I urged changes for post-conviction bail, not just for violent offenders, but for the repeat offenders who are placing a major strain on local police time and resources. I’m pleased to see that this input is reflected in the legislation introduced today, showing our shared commitment to keeping communities safe.

“Today’s announcement reflects the strong collaborative relationship between our two governments, but our work continues. We will monitor the implementation of these federal reforms closely to assess whether they are working as intended.

“While the bill includes some protections for victims of intimate-partner violence, I will continue to advocate for stronger protections. The circumstances that led to the tragic death of Bailey McCourt should never happen again. That’s why we’re pleased that the federal government followed through on our request for a new reverse onus following a finding of guilt for a charge of assault or sexual assault involving choking, suffocating or strangulation. McCourt’s murder is a painful reminder of what’s at stake and of the urgent need to hold perpetrators accountable and protect those at risk.

“At the provincial level, we are actively working through the recommendations outlined in Dr. Kim Stanton’s independent report, which highlighted the need for inter-agency information sharing and consistent risk assessment. We will provide an update on our progress in addressing these recommendations in the coming weeks. The federal government has indicated that further gender-based violence reforms are coming later this year, and we will continue to press them for strong measures.

“Together, we remain focused on building a justice system in British Columbia that is fair and equitable, responsive and protective, and above all, keeps people safe in their homes, businesses and communities.”

Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, said:

“I welcome the federal government’s introduction of Bill C-14: the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act as an important step toward ensuring our justice system can effectively address serious crimes like repeat violent offences, extortion, organized retail theft and harms to businesses and critical infrastructure.

“Our government, along with our police service partners, municipal and First Nations governments, and businesses, has long been calling on the federal government to take meaningful action to ensure stronger consequences for those who repeatedly cause harm in our communities. Police in our province are too often arresting the same individuals for repeat offences, only to see them quickly return to the streets to reoffend.

“Bill C-14 directly responds to those concerns. It strengthens bail provisions, provides clearer direction on when detention should be sought and enhances sentencing options for serious crimes.

“In short, these reforms will help keep repeat criminals off our streets.

“These measures will help police and prosecutors better protect the public and businesses and give communities more confidence that the system is working to keep them safe.

“Our police officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect British Columbians. These reforms recognize and support their work by helping to reduce the cycle of crime that too often frustrates both police and communities.

“Our government remains committed to doing everything we can to make B.C. a safe and welcoming province by supporting police and holding repeat offenders to account so people feel secure in their communities.”