Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says the federal government is moving ahead with stricter bail laws without the evidence needed to justify them.Speaking during debate on Bill C-14, which proposes expanded use of reverse-onus bail provisions, May argued Parliament is responding to public pressure rather than proof-based policy.“Canadians are crying out for bail reform,” May acknowledged, “but we're still crying with a lack of knowledge.” She said the current debate has become heavily politicized and detached from basic legal realities, including the constitutional presumption of innocence..May pointed to concerns raised by the Canadian Bar Association, warning that the proposed changes could lead to more legally innocent people being held behind bars before trial.“The effect of C-14 is innocent people will be jailed,” she said, noting reverse-onus rules require the accused to prove why they should not be detained rather than requiring the Crown to justify holding them.Despite the public focus on high-profile cases, May argued the available numbers do not show a system where bail is granted too easily..She said 71% of accused individuals seeking bail in provincial and territorial courts are denied, a figure she used to challenge the prevailing narrative.However, she also noted that the country lacks a standardized national data system, meaning lawmakers do not know how often people released on bail comply with conditions or commit new crimes.“There is no data at all on how often a person on bail commits a crime,” May said. “I don’t like flying blind.”.May also stressed that several underlying issues fall under provincial jurisdiction, including overcrowded courts, chronic underfunding, and lax enforcement of financial surety rules for accused persons released from custody.While she said anecdotal stories of crimes committed by people on bail should not be ignored, May argued they are not enough to justify major federal changes without broader evidence.“Passing laws on criminal justice could result in more innocent people being jailed,” she said. “That is very serious business.”Debate on Bill C-14 will continue as the government seeks to tighten bail rules in response to public concern and police advocacy.
