All 13 Premiers demand tightening of bail system in letter to PM Trudeau

In a January 13 letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, all 13 Premiers of Canadian provinces and territories urged the Prime Minister to take immediate action on bail reform, especially in regard to some firearm-related offences.

The letter signed by all the premiers originally came from the office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and stated, “There have been a growing number of calls for changes to prevent accused persons, who are out on bail, from committing further criminal acts…The justice system fundamentally needs to keep anyone who poses a threat to public safety off the streets.”

The letter comes after the demise of an OPP constable who was shot in late December of 2022.

The deceased, identified as OPP Const. Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala, was reportedly shot while responding to a call about a car in a ditch back in December. When he approached the vehicle in the area of Indian Line and Concession 14, Pierzchala was shot at by the two occupants in the vehicle, according to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.

Randall McKenzie, one of the two people facing charges in relation to the killing, had been previously denied bail in a separate case involving assault and weapons charges but was released after a review, according to court documents.

“The justice system fundamentally needs to keep anyone who poses a threat to public safety off the streets…And this starts with meaningful changes to the Criminal Code, an area solely within the federal government’s jurisdiction,” the letter read.

“The public safety of Canadians and our heroic first responders cannot wait. The time for action is now,” the letter concluded.