Winnipeg mayor in Ottawa pushing for bail reform

Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham was in Ottawa Tuesday to push for bail reform amid repeated high-profile cases where offenders on out on bail allegedly killed innocent Manitobans.

“We can do more in Winnipeg, and we will, but parliament must offer Canadians decisive help,” said Gillingham in a webcasted meeting with advocates, experts and members of Parliament at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. 

The death of 28-year-old Kellie Verwey sparked major local calls for bail reform. She was hit and killed on Highway 26 in January. James Hilton, who was wanted for breaching his bail conditions at the time, was charged with her death. He then walked out of the treatment centre where he was mandated to stay while awaiting trial for Verwey’s death. Police later found him. 

“He had already been in the system three times in the previous two weeks before he killed Kellie. He had jumped bail; he had breached his bail conditions. He had a warrant out for his arrest. And none of those things made a difference,” said Meechelle Best, Kellie Verwey’s mother.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is proposing a bill that includes an increased use of reverse onus, which means more people accused of major crimes would have to prove they deserve bail. The Bests say it’d help to use the legislation for offenders who repeatedly breach bail.

“The reverse onus, I think, would have made a difference to the justice’s decision. Now, having said that, the justice made her decision on the information that she was presented, but she still chose to give this person another chance, and once she gave this person another chance, he also refused and he absconded immediately,” said Best.

Some are asking where the anticipated increase in jailed offenders will go. All but one of Manitoba’s correctional facilities are already over their rated capacities, and correctional officers worry about the dangers of even higher populations.

“It means their jobs are going to get harder. It means, on a day-to-day basis, they’re going to be looking out for interpersonal issues when people are on top of each other, as they are right now, it’s only going to get worse,” said Kyle Ross, the MGEU president.

He’s calling on a plan from the province to manage expected increases in jailed populations as he expresses worry for the correctional officers’ and inmates’ safety and wellbeing.  

“Our government is being tough on crime and on the causes of crime. While jail populations fluctuate, we’re managing capacity and taking action to expand it, including rebuilding the Dauphin Justice Centre after the previous government closed two jails with no plan to replace them. Manitobans can trust we’re holding offenders accountable and keeping communities safe,” Manitoba justice minister Matt Wiebe said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, a Winnipeg criminal justice professor says he’d like to see more programs to support offenders upon release to reduce recidivism. He’d also like to see cases get to trial sooner. He says it’s important to make sure police and crown attorneys have the resources to enact federal legislation.

“What we’ve seen provincially is that our crown prosecutors have expressed concern that they’re not adequately staffed, that they need more staff, that they sometimes have to rush through bail court,” said Michael Weinrath, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg.

Best says that seemed to be the case in the bail hearing for Hilton. 

“I felt like they were very steamrolled, they were very unprepared. Not because they weren’t doing their jobs, but I guess because the system didn’t ring true in our favour that day.”

The federal bill, with more details, is expected to be tabled this week. The Bests have been invited and will be going to Ottawa next week to speak to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.