Canada unveils new bail reform plan, including better protection for first responders

Canada’s justice minister touched down in Winnipeg Tuesday, where he stood with Manitoba leaders to unveil major bail reforms.

The goal: make it tougher for repeat violent offenders to get out, and ensure those who protect citizens are protected too.

“We need a set of rules with public safety in mind, designed to keep people safe,” Minister Sean Fraser said.

Ottawa’s new Bail and Sentencing Reform Act introduces 80 clauses that will bring forward tougher rules for repeat violent offenders and harsher penalties for those who attack first responders.

“It’s completely unacceptable they would be subject to violence in the line of duty,” Fraser said of the country’s first responders. “It has a detrimental impact on the communities, to recruit new members and for Canadians to live safely and freely in their communities.”

“The amendments will ensure anyone who assaults our first responders face tougher penalties, and that our first responders can do their jobs without fear or interference,” added Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

Nick Kasper, the president of United Firefighters of Winnipeg, says firefighters are reporting back to him about less-than-ideal work conditions on the job.

“I am getting feedback from our members on a daily basis that they are experiencing violence, weapons on the ground,” Kasper told CityNews.

“Right now, we have workers off the job, many injured paramedics right now it causing us to be short staffed,” added Kyle Ross, the president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU).

The unions representing firefighters and paramedics in Manitoba say violence on the job is getting worse every year. The firefighters’ union says there have been more than 50 assaults on their members this year alone, while a recent survey shows nearly 95 per cent of paramedics have faced violence at work, with one-in-four workers experiencing it daily.

“Everybody should be able to go home to their families at the end of the day, and this will be a step in the right direction,” Ross said. “But we also need some investment in prevention if we really want to have these workers protected in the workplace.”
Ottawa says the reforms are part of a broader push pairing stricter bail and tighter sentences.

The bill now heads through Parliament, with Manitoba officials saying they’re ready to help put changes in place.