E-7063: Petition to the Minister of Justice — Canadian Petition Tracker
Canonical URL: https://petitiontracker.ca/petition/e-7063
Track petition E-7063 — "Petition to the Minister of Justice" sponsored by Todd Doherty. 969 signatures and counting. See signature growth trends and provincial breakdown on PetitionTracker.ca.
Petition Text
Petition to the Minister of Justice
Whereas:
• Unreasonable delays are causing criminal cases to be thrown out or stayed pursuant to Section 11(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, acquitting criminals and increasing potential to reoffend;
• Correctional centres lack capacity and resources to detain offenders awaiting trial and to provide services such as mental health support, rehabilitation, and release planning, leading to higher reoffending rates;
• Prolific, non-violent offenders continue to pose challenges, and property offences place undue pressure on business and property owners, particularly in downtown retail areas;
• Throughout downtown Prince George, theft is common, windows are repeatedly broken, fires are set against buildings, and arson has led to the loss of local businesses;
• Businesses are relocating outside downtown, and the public is increasingly shopping elsewhere due to safety concerns; and
• Many municipalities spend large portions of operating budgets on protective services—39% in Prince George—yet data show most property crime is committed by the same few individuals.
We, the undersigned, residents of the City of Prince George, call upon the Minister of Justice to 1. Amend the Criminal Code of Canada to strengthen bail requirements for prolific and non-violent offenders to include provisions for repeat offences to lead to: automatic detention, release to be dependent on reverse onus, and/or demonstration of the Principle of Respect for the Law; 2. Appoint more judges and prosecutors; 3. Provide funding and resources for Crown Counsel to increase capacity and decrease delays in preparing and bringing cases to court; and 4. Provide funding and resources to provincial correctional centres and support services to increase capacity for detention of individuals and providing rehabilitation and release planning.
1. Amend the Criminal Code of Canada to strengthen bail requirements for prolific and non-violent offenders to include provisions for repeat offences to lead to: automatic detention, release to be dependent on reverse onus, and/or demonstration of the Principle of Respect for the Law;
2. Appoint more judges and prosecutors;
3. Provide funding and resources for Crown Counsel to increase capacity and decrease delays in preparing and bringing cases to court; and
4. Provide funding and resources to provincial correctional centres and support services to increase capacity for detention of individuals and providing rehabilitation and release planning.