TORONTO — Following the Senate’s passage of Bill C-48 on bail reform, Shakir Rahim, Director of the Criminal Justice Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), made the following statement:
“We commend the Senate for passing a key amendment to Bill C-48 recommended by the CCLA to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous and vulnerable groups in pre-trial detention. We urge the House of Commons to support this amendment.
The amendment requires a justice to explain how they determined if an accused person was Indigenous or part of a vulnerable overrepresented group, and if so, how their circumstances were considered in a bail decision. Courts are required by s. 493.2 of the Criminal Code to consider these circumstances, but often forget to or do not explain how they did so. This amendment will ensure justices meaningfully uphold s. 493.2.
The CCLA’s remarks on Bill C-48 to the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs can be viewed here and the CCLA’s brief can be read here.
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
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For further comments, please contact us at media@ccla.org.
