Cory Morgan: Feds’ Plan to Curb Crime Has Merit, but It Must Be Implemented Without Delay

Prime Minister Mark Carney makes an announcement at an RCMP detachment in Etobicoke, Ont., on Oct. 16, 2025. The Canadian Press/Laura Proctor

Commentary

Crime and justice reform issues usually get little more than a casual nod during federal elections in Canada. The 2025 election was an exception, with both the Liberals and Conservatives vowing to take a tough-on-crime approach. Public disorder related to an ongoing opioid addiction epidemic and some high-profile cases of violent repeat offenders being released led to demands for justice reform, and the Carney Liberals are now making legislative changes.

Much of what the government is proposing appears to be beneficial and should be well-received by most Canadians.

Bail reform has topped the list of changes with the introduction of a “reverse onus” for bail cases involving several types of violent crimes. This means the accused will have to make the case that they are safe to release on bail rather than having the prosecution tasked with proving the offender may be dangerous. That may require expanding the remand capacity as more people would be incarcerated awaiting trial. Work must be done to streamline and speed up criminal trials to reduce the load on short-term incarceration facilities. Citizens are tired of reading about recently released violent offenders committing crimes.

It is also proposed that people released on bail or charged with violent crimes would be prohibited from possessing firearms. This appears to be window dressing, though, as those prohibitions are already in place.

There will be toughened sentencing guidelines sent to the courts for repeat offenders in the areas of car theft, violent crimes, and organized crime. There will also be allowances for consecutive sentencing for serious crimes. It’s absurd that a violent offender could commit multiple offences, yet serve time for all of them concurrently. It offers no disincentive for criminals to stop offending once they have one charge. They could and sometimes do get four for the price of one. This could go to the courts and be struck down, however. Stephen Harper’s government brought consecutive sentencing provisions to Canada in 2011 for cases of multiple murder, but the provisions were found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2022. It should be presumed that the Carney government has a plan to ensure its legislation can withstand constitutional challenges.

The plan to end house arrest for some of the more serious sexual offences will make some people breathe a sigh of relief. Extending the prosecution periods for child sex offenders will be welcomed, too.

Some updates to the code to deal with new types of crimes are coming as well. Distributing non-consensual intimate images, creating sexual deepfake images, and online child luring will garner sentences. Organized retail theft has been a growing issue, which will also be targeted.

On the policing front, the vow to add 1,000 new RCMP officers and 1,000 new CBSA officers can only help if it’s delivered. The RCMP has had recruiting issues for decades, and money alone won’t draw new members. The government plan calls for establishing a new RCMP training academy and raising the compensation for cadet recruits to $1,000 per week. People must see a more visible police presence if they are to feel safer.

Ottawa is still stubbornly clinging to its planned firearm buyback, even though the program is plagued with problems. With the RCMP stretched thin and provinces vowing not to cooperate with the program, it’s tough to see the government making this a priority even if it won’t formally drop the plan.

What appears to be missing in the justice plan is much on the crime prevention and corrections front. It’s understood that longer sentences are required for repeat violent offenders, but we must have the space to keep these prisoners. Prisons aren’t the sort of infrastructure that politicians like to celebrate and promote. Canada must have more federal facilities geared for long-term inmates, and it will need them soon.

Most of the perception and reality of higher crime in Canada has been due to the visible, public disorder associated with addiction. The sight of open drug consumption and associated violence is becoming ubiquitous in cities and even smaller communities where no such issues existed a decade ago. Both mental health and addiction treatment facilities must be expanded to deal with this growing problem.

Mental health and addiction treatment are a provincial jurisdiction, though. The federal government must work cooperatively with the provinces to deal with this, as the criminal aspects make it a cross-jurisdictional issue. Relations between the federal government and some provinces haven’t been the best lately, however.

For the most part, the government’s justice plan looks good. The Liberals can eat more of the traditional territory of the Conservative voter base.

The test will be in the implementation, however, and Canadians have limited patience. It’s time for action.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.