Manitoba’s justice minister is calling on his federal counterpart in an effort to curb knife violence in Manitoba.
In a letter to federal Justice Minister David Lametti Thursday, Kelvin Goertzen said he wants the government to enact the same Criminal Code provisions for knife-related offences as those that are in place for gun crime.
“Too often, those that use knives as weapons have a previous violent history and at times are on bail awaiting trial on offences when they are alleged to have committed another violent crime,” Goertzen said in a statement.
“This is frustrating for Manitobans and devastating for those who are victimized.
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“The federal government has the responsibility, through the Criminal Code, for setting bail standards by which judges make their decisions.”
Goertzen said it’s harder for those accused in firearms cases to obtain bail, and given the frequency of knife crime in Manitoba, making a change to bail for those accused of knife-related offences could be a boon for public safety.
He says he’ll be offering up further suggestions in the weeks ahead.
The minister’s comments come as Manitoba reckons with an increase in violent crime, both in major cities like Winnipeg and Brandon and in rural communities across the province.
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