Support Bail Reform

You can honor Andrew & Zachary by writing Canadian Parliament in support of a law denying bail to people accused of murder while awaiting trial. If such a law had been in place in 2003, Zachary would still be alive. He would be seven years old and in second grade right now.

While people charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty, presumption of innocence should not be stretched so far as to allow an actual murderer to repeat his/her crime while awaiting trial. We propose that this pre-trial detention period for accused murderers be conducted with minimal hardship and liberal visitation rights, and with the courts speeding this process along as quickly as is practical.

We screened Dear Zachary for Members of Canada's Parliament in March 2009, inspiring MP Scott Andrews of Newfoundland to begin working on a bill reforming Canada's bail code.  On October 22, 2009, MP Andrews introduced a bill in Parliament that would add a modification to Canada's bail code justifying detention in custody for someone accused of a serious crime who is a potential danger to their own minor children. The bill is called C-464 - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (justification for detention in custody). It's a wonderful first step and we support him 100%, and if successful, it will not only make things safer, but hopefully pave the way to further measures and our eventual goal -- a law denying bail to people accused of murder while awaiting trial.  On December 4, 2009, Bill C-464 was discussed for an hour on the floor of the House of Commons and received unanimous support from all political parties to advance to the Standing Committee on Justice & Human Rights, where Kate & David Bagby will be called as witnesses, the bill will be revised and strengthened, and then sent back to the House and Senate for a vote.

We encourage you to write Parliament and urge them to support MP Scott Andrews' bill, and then encourage them to take things one step further, by supporting a law denying bail to people accused of murder while awaiting trial.  We encourage you to address Parliament by expressing your passionate feelings on this subject in your own unique words, explaining why and how you came to write to them, but if you need some help, some issues to consider addressing in your letter are provided HERE (Microsoft Word Document).

PEOPLE OF CANADA:
As a Canadian citizen, you can send a letter to your Member of Parliament POSTAGE FREE - at no cost to you whatsoever.  Click HERE to find out the name of your member of Parliament using your postal code.  (You will also find email addresses for most Members of Parliament on that site as well, if you prefer to send an email.)  Then mail it to:

(Your Member of Parliament's name)
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
CANADA
K1A 0A6

EVERYONE ELSE:
Residents of other countries are also free to write Canadian Parliament in support of this cause. Not being a Canadian citizen with a specific Parliamentary representative, non-residents may wish to direct their letters to:

The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
CANADA
K1A 0H8
Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca or NichoR@parl.gc.ca