A StatsCan report on Wednesday shows the devasting effects of the Trudeau government's catch-and-release policy towards criminals, with the number of homicides increase 27% since he took office.The data also revealed that 34% of homicides in 2023 were committed by individuals who were on bail or another form of release. The homicide rate per 100,000 has climbed from 1.71 in 2015 to 1.94 in 2023, with the past four years marking record-high levels of homicides since data collection began in 1961.“The 778 homicides recorded in 2023 make that year the third worst for homicides on record,” said a statement from the Conservative Party. Critics attribute these trends to policies like Bill C-75 and Bill C-5, which prioritize the release of repeat violent offenders and remove mandatory jail sentences for certain crimes.The statement also criticized the government’s handling of border security. “Eighty-five percent of all handguns seized by Toronto police were illegally imported from the United States,” it said, citing reports from the Toronto Police Association.Two recent murders — those of Harshandeep Singh in Edmonton and Alisha Brooks in Toronto — were committed by individuals with long criminal records. Critics argue these cases exemplify the consequences of the government’s “catch-and-release” policies.“Justin Trudeau is not worth the crime,” the statement concluded. It emphasized that only a Conservative government would secure borders and enforce stricter policies on violent offenders, advocating “jail, not bail” for repeat offenders as a solution to rising violence.Overall, violent crime in Canada has surged under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, with violent gun crime increasing by 116% and overall violent crime rising by 50% since he assumed office, according to critics citing Statistics Canada data.
