Liberals expected to introduce bill with tougher bail, sentencing rules today

By Canadian Press on October 23, 2025.

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is expected to pitch tougher bail and sentencing standards for violent crime in legislation today.

A news release says Justice Minister Sean Fraser will speak to reporters about the bill in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week the legislation would make bail more difficult to get for violent and organized crime offences.

The bill would impose a reverse onus on bail for certain offences, he said, moving the burden of proof from the prosecutor to the accused, meaning they would have to justify being granted bail.

The bill also would allow for consecutive sentences for violent and repeat offenders, so that multiple sentences can’t be served at the same time.

Conservative justice critic Larry Brock has called the bill a “half-baked attempt to copy-paste” his party’s proposed crime legislation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2025.

The Canadian Press