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By LegalMatters Staff • Many organizations and people have been calling for bail reform following high-profile incidents involving those who committed crimes while on bail.
Some politicians, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, are pushing the federal government to ensure people accused of violent offences are kept in custody as they await trial.
In Alberta, Justice Minister Tyler Shandro has blamed the federal government for what he calls a “catch-and-release” justice system, where those who are arrested and charged with violent crimes are soon back in their communities
But others, such as Calgary criminal lawyer Greg Dunn, notes that those accused of crimes are protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“The right to be granted bail, formally known as judicial interim release, is a pivotal foundation of our justice system,” Dunn writes. “After all, anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty, so it is fundamentally unfair to keep them in custody as they await trial.”
He adds that anyone charged with a crime has the right to apply for a judicial interim release within 24 hours of their arrest if a justice is available, or as soon as one becomes available.
