Reform bail and sentencing laws

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Prime Minister to reform bail and sentencing to impose penalties on repeat violent and impaired‑driving offenders and prioritize victims' safety. The government responds that Bill C‑14 strengthens bail rules and driving prohibitions.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Prime Minister of Canada WHEREAS: On July 5, 2025, a young man from Bolton, Ontario - Gabriel Arshad - was critically injured in a devastating four-vehicle crash. The collision was caused by a man with five prior convictions for impaired driving, who was also under three separate lifetime driving bans. Despite his record, the accused was once again released on bail following the crash, highlighting serious flaws in Canada's current bail system. Repeat violent offenders continue to be released into Canadian communities under this broken system, putting public safety at risk. Canadians deserve a justice system that prioritizes the safety of victims and communities over the rights of repeat offenders. We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister of Canada to: Take immediate action to reform Canada's bail and sentencing laws to ensure repeat violent offenders face serious consequences, and to strengthen public safety by prioritizing the rights of victims and law-abiding Canadians.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Signed by THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY PATRICIA LATTANZIO Everyone deserves to live in a society where they are safe. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting people in Canada from impaired driving and condemns this dangerous behaviour in the strongest possible terms. Even one life lost to impaired driving is one too many. The Criminal Code impaired driving regime, which was completely overhauled in 2018 to modernize, simplify and facilitate detection and prosecution of impaired drivers, provides courts with significant sentencing tools. These include maximum penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment for impaired driving and up to life imprisonment where impaired driving causes death. Bill C-14, the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, which received Royal Assent on June 15, 2026, includes significant changes to the Criminal Code bail provisions to better address repeat offending at the bail stage. These changes, among several others, provide additional direction to bail courts on how to apply the principle of restraint. Specifically, these changes clarify that the principle of restraint does not mandate release and that an accused person cannot be released if their detention is justified for the protection or safety of the public. These reforms build on other recent bail reforms, including those enacted in 2023 through former Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which require courts to consider an accused person’s criminal history when making any bail decision. In addition, Bill C-14 furtherstrengthens the driving prohibition regime by restoring the availability of driving prohibition orders for offenders convicted of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing bodily harm or death involving the operation of a conveyance. These measures, which come into force on July 15, 2026, reflect the Government's commitment to ensuring that serious and repeat impaired driving offenders are held accountable, while protecting the safety of Canadians on our roads and highways. Taken together, these measures represent a clear and firm commitment to disrupting repeat impaired driving related offences in communities across Canada.