Poilievre takes notice of Timmins crime-focused town hall

Last week’s town hall in Timmins, Ont., got the attention of federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who took to Twitter to label the crime and drug-focused meeting as an indictment of the Trudeau government’s bail laws.

Poilievre used the stories of fear, rampant break-ins and public drug use as an example of how he would improve justice and addictions treatment as prime minister.

"We want to reverse all of the catch-and-release policies that he brought in,” Poilievre said in a Zoom interview.

Referring to criticisms that federal changes in 2019 are inadvertently causing repeat violent offenders to be released on bail and commit further crimes, Poilievre has been outspoken that bail reform Bill C-48 would not adequately solve the issue.

The bill aims to place more onus on violent offenders to show why they would not cause further harm if granted bail.

Poilievre said he'd go further with bail reform.

"Someone commits 50 or 60 offences and they're newly arrested for another one, they'd stay behind bars, until their trial is done and their sentence is complete," said Poilievre.

"That way, they can no longer harm people."

Timmins criminal defence lawyer Michael Tomassini told CTV News in an interview that Bill C-48 wouldn't affect bail much at all, saying courts are already strict on violent criminals.

He said courts always consider the potential of offenders to skip trial, reoffend and devalue public perception of justice when determining bail.

Property crime has been top of mind in Timmins, however, and he said no bail laws — current or proposed — address that directly.

"I think you would need more sweeping bail reform to change the grounds, the three grounds for detention … if you're going to specifically include property crime," said Tomassini.

"Whether or not that is a good idea, I think is the subject of some debate."

Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus told CTV News that property crime can be discussed while reviewing the bail reform bill, but said tackling gang violence and better funding social supports would be more useful.

"There needs to be serious mental health supports, there needs to be serious opportunities for treatment and we need to deal with the fact that we have homeless everywhere,” Angus said in a Zoom interview.

"We do not have places to keep people safe, and this is adding to the crimes."

Poilievre also avoided the idea of changing bail laws to reflect property crime, instead favouring harsher penalties and better funding police services.

Addiction treatment also needs more funding, he said, adding he would cut safe consumption site funding to help do it.

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We reached out to the prime minister's office, the office of Justice Minister David Lametti and several northern Liberal MPs.

We received this response from Lametti’s press secretary, Diana Ebadi:

"Minister Lametti's plan to tackle the problem of repeat violent offenders has received the approval of premiers and justice ministers of all party stripes, as well as Canada's major police associations. Bill C-48 was the result of significant collaboration with provincial and territorial leaders, and received input from mayors, police, national Indigenous organizations and members of the public.

"The proposed reforms are specifically targeted at repeat violent offenders, as well as offences committed involving the use of firearms and other dangerous weapons. Minister Lametti's priority is making sure we have a justice system that both protects Canadians, and respects the Charter right to reasonable bail. He is confident these reforms will do that.

"Minister Lametti moved swiftly to bring forward this bill. He urges all parliamentarians, including opposition parties, to work together in passing this legislation without delay."