Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he’s frustrated at the pace of a federal bill meant to toughen up bail laws.
“I’m extremely frustrated. You know, this has been over a year now. We sat around the table of all the premiers saying that we have to change bail reform,” Ford said at an unrelated news conference in Toronto Monday.
“We’ve led the charge here in Ontario and all the premiers, all 13 of us, signed off with the prime minister sitting there. They’re dragging their feet.”
The federal government announced sweeping reforms to bail laws back in October, but the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act is still working its way through a senate review.
The bill is designed to toughen bail laws to address violent and repeat offenders and organized crime, and to introduce tougher sentencing laws for serious and violent crimes.
“People are fed up with the home invasions, the cars being stolen. They’re fed up with not feeling safe when they go outside,” Ford said Monday.
5 prisoners improperly released from Ontario jails still at large
At the same news conference, Ford said he’s working to make sure that his own government is doing everything it can to make sure prisoners stay where they’re supposed to be.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner confirmed five prisoners who were improperly released from Ontario jails remain at-large.
“We’re not going to accept one as being acceptable. We’re on our way to make sure that the number goes to zero,” Kerzner said.
He said investments in hiring more correctional officers and technology that will better track prisoners will help make sure no prisoners are improperly freed.
For his part, Ford said his government remains “tough on crime” despite the blunder.
“One prisoner getting out by accident because of a clerical error in the courts is unacceptable, and I’ve addressed this with the ministry and minister and we’re going to resolve it, because I won’t be happy if one person gets out,” Ford said.
A Freedom of Information Request (FOI) by Global News revealed last month that more than 150 inmates were improperly released from the provincial jail system since 2021.
Kerzner initially said all had been returned to jail immediately, but later acknowledged that six were still at-large. He later said that number had been brought down to five.
He suggested Monday that if any of the outstanding inmates posed a danger to the public, there would have been a news release about it.
“Where there is any threat of danger to any community, the police services of that jurisdiction will never hesitate in making a public service announcement. In the absence of that announcement, then there’s no threat to the community,” Kerzner said.
