Winnipeg mayor speaks before federal lawmakers about need for stricter bail laws

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham testified to a Senate committee about his support for bail reform in Canada.

Winnipeg’s mayor is continuing his push for stricter bail and sentencing laws by taking his advocacy to federal lawmakers.

On Thursday, Mayor Scott Gillingham appeared virtually before the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs in support of Bill C-14 – proposed legislation that would make it more difficult to get bail for a variety of crimes, including extortion and human trafficking.

The bill would also impose reverse onus on bail, which moves the burden of proof from the prosecutor to the accused.

“Our support for bail reform isn’t about blindly being tough on crime,” Gillingham said at the meeting.

“It’s a rational public policy response to obvious threats, destructive patterns and repeated outcomes.”

During his time as a mayor, Gillingham said, he’s been committed to targeting repeat offenders. This includes his work hiring a new police chief and re-launching a joint police warrant unit focused on violent suspect and offenders.

“Since this unit was operational in May 2023, there has been a clear pattern in their work,” he said.

“In 2024, 82 per cent of arrests involved an offender on bail, probation or parole. In 2025, 80 per cent of their arrests involved an offender on bail probation or parole.”

Gillingham went on to say there’s a “practical limit” to crime prevention efforts if habitual offenders continue be re-released into the community.

He said to protect the presumption of innocence, criminals who’ve repeatedly been found guilty are released with light conditions.

“Why are we so surprised then when these same people go on to stab or shoot or steal or assault or exploit again when they’ve freely been given another chance to do so?” the mayor questioned.

Gillingham noted the right to be presumed innocent is a “critical principle.” However, he added, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows for reasonable limits to protect peace and order.

“Safety of the public is the ultimate goal,” he said.

“And it is reasonable to restore clear judicial authority to protect the public in cases when an individual poses a clear threat to our safety.”

Thursday’s full meeting is available online.

• With files from The Canadian Press