Pierre Poilievre: Rise in crime comes from ‘catch and release policy’

The federal Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, was in the region Friday spreading a message about the rise in crime nationally.

He’s troubled by some new data out of Statistics Canada that was released July 25 showing crime increased last year in several areas like police-reported hate crime and extortion.

Poilievre is calling on parliament to meet for an emergency summer session to repeal what he calls, “Trudeau’s Catch and Release policy.”

A law was passed in 2019, Bill C-75, that updated bail provisions in the Criminal Code. The law means a person accused of a crime, is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If they are granted bail they can stay out of jail while their case is put into the justice system, which can take, at times, months to happen.  

It comes as the region experienced its 16 shooting of the year this week, with three individuals arrested including a 16-year-old from the GTA.

“Massive increase in sexual offences, including among minors, against minors and then on top of that we have 40,000 people dead from the drug overdose crisis. This is a brutal crime wave,” said Poilievre.

While on The Mike Farwell Show July 26, the conservative leader said he is troubled by the data and wants to crack down on gang-related murder, which he cites as a reason for more youth being arrested nationally.

“When I’m in office I will put in a rule, that if you have a long rap sheet you won’t be eligible for bail or parole, it’ll be jail not bail.”

The statitiscs showed a 32 per cent increase in police-reported hate crimes in 2023 from the year prior. Along with that, it showed that extortion rose by 35 per cent for its fourth consecutive year. It also showed a 52 per cent increase in police-reported child pornography.

There was also 4 per cent increase in serious crimes like homicide last year.

The rate of breaking and entering is down according to data, while rates of motor vehicle theft, robbery and shoplifting rose.

“They brought in a rule that requires judges release repeat violent criminals within hours of their arrest on bail and that means that the offender can reoffend again and again. We just saw last week 150 charges against 18 accused, who half of whom were out on bail. Since their arrest, six of them have been released again on bail,” Poilievre said on the show.

He also wants to crack down on securing the border better and gang-related murders saying that is a reason for more youth being arrested. He added it’s terrible to see more youth becoming involved with crime.

While on the show Poilievre compared safe consumption sites like the ones in the region to a drug den.

“We need to stop funding opioids and giving out hard drugs. Instead give people treatment and recovery services that will bring them home drugfree and that will help us defeat the drug related crimes.”

The Region of Waterloo says the sites provide life saving support for those using drugs to prevent the number of fatal drug overdoses.

The region has also said it:

1. Reduces the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C among people who use drugs
2. Connects people who use drugs with mental health supports, addictions services, primary health care services, and social services like housing and other supports
3. Creates a safer community by reducing drug use in public spaces and providing options for proper needle disposal

Poilievre said he has already called for major lawsuits against big pharma companies after seeing what happened in the U.S. he wants them to pay up and use that money to fund treatment centres in Canada.