Police officers stand on a subway platform as people wait for a train in downtown Toronto, on April 1.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
Six in 10 Canadians believe a “tough-on-crime” approach to bail increases public safety, according to a new poll released as premiers and police are pressing the federal government to change course on bail provisions.
The finding is part of a survey conducted between April 2 and 6 by Nanos Research for The Globe and Mail. It was completed during a national debate on public safety that has taken place after a number of fatal attacks in transit systems and the deaths of several on-duty police officers.
The survey asked: “Some people say having a ‘tough-on-crime’ approach to bail increases public safety while others say it will put more people who are legally innocent in jails. Which statement best describes your views?”
Sixty per cent of respondents said such an approach to bail increases public safety. Twenty-one per cent said that approach to bail will put more people who are legally innocent in jails. Nineteen per cent were unsure. The pollster said the chart might not add up to 100 because of rounding.
The survey also found that concerns over crime, among respondents, has increased by 10 percentage points since research conducted in January, with 41 per cent now being concerned compared with 31 per cent. The biggest increase occurred on the Prairies and British Columbia.
The federal government has been under pressure over 2019 changes to the Criminal Code that called for restraint in setting bail conditions. Premiers are pushing Ottawa to tighten bail on repeat violent offenders and others charged with serious offences.
On Friday, Canada’s premiers and territorial leaders met virtually with representatives of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to discuss issues including bail reform.
The chiefs had expressed concerns about the safety of front-line police officers, the perceived lax treatment of repeat offenders and the escalation of gun, gang and other violent crimes intensified by mental health and addiction issues.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, the chair of the Council of the Federation, which represents premiers and territorial leader, said the meeting was productive and constructive.
“Now, more than ever, federal action is needed. Reform should not be delayed further for public protection and safer communities and to support the work and dedication of all of our law-enforcement officers that seek to protect Canadians,” she said.
In a statement posted to its website after the meeting, the chiefs of police association thanked the premiers for their continued support. It also thanked them for outreach to the federal government encouraging changes to the bail system to address the issue of repeat violent offenders and those charged with offences involving firearms.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has denounced a “catch-and-release” bail system, and, during a recent news conference in Edmonton, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal NDP are to blame for a wave of crime that allow repeat offenders out of custody.
He has said he is making the case for a “common-sense Conservative approach” to dealing with crime that includes more police officers, “real consequences” for repeat offenders across Canada, and an end to a safe supply of illegal drugs.
Nik Nanos, chief data scientist for Nanos Research, says part of the Conservative brand is to be tougher on crime than other parties.
“Expect [Mr. Poilievre] to run hard on crime as an issue because it is good for raising funds among core Conservatives and feeds their narrative that Canada is broken and progressive politicians are responsible,” Mr. Nanos said in a statement.
He said there is a risk for the federal Liberals, given the perception that crime is on the upswing in big cities that are Liberal strongholds, and especially given the possibility that this perception could spill over into the suburbs.
Alexander Cohen, the communications director for Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, said in a statement that the government has committed to introducing legislation, as early as during this session of Parliament, to change Canada’s bail system.
He also noted that the government has provided additional funding for the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency, and enacted a $250-million fund to pay for programs to deal with the underlying causes of crime.
The Nanos survey consisted of a hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,063 people, 18 years and older, conducted between April 2 and 6 as part of an omnibus survey.
The margin of error is plus-or-minus 3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Ian Bailey