Carney vows new bail reform legislation by fall, blames U.S. for illegal guns in Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney is promising new legislation on bail reform in the fall, and is pointing the finger at the United States when it comes to illegal guns.

His statements are in response to a question CHCH News asked the prime minister about a brazen daylight shooting that happened in Hamilton last week, killing 26-year-old Belinda Sarkodie.

The prime minister was in Hamilton Wednesday announcing measures to protect the Canadian steel industry.

“One of the things the federal government is doing, and we are making a huge emphasis on this, is to control our border better,” said Carney. “Because I suspect, and we’ll see when this individual is caught, that that gun came from the United States.”

Carney also said he is working with premiers on bail reform, specifically for repeat offenders, and expects to table legislation by the Fall.

The question comes after the latest brazen daylight shooting in Hamilton on Friday, that killed Sarkodie.

Police said she wasn’t the intended target when the shooter opened fire at around 5:30 p.m. on King Street East, near James Street – just down the street from where thousands had gathered for Art Crawl.

A man was also taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are still searching for 17-year-old suspect Mackale Lavoie.

Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen spoke Wednesday afternoon regarding the recent gun violence in downtown Hamilton.

He said it’s a positive thing to see all levels of government talking about gun violence, and wants to see big lasting change on bail.

“Right now, we have all leaders of all parties speaking about this – that’s a good thing,” said Bergen. “But now it’s no longer about just conversations or slogans for political campaigns, we need everyone to understand that it’s enough, we have to stop the gun violence in all communities.”

Bergen says anything the government can do to keep guns out of the hands of teens is positive, but he’s looking to see more immediate action on bail.

Rather than reform, that could take years to implement, he’d like to see the current rules of bail more strictly followed.

“We’ve seen that people are on conditions of house arrest, or ankle bracelets – they’re not,” said Bergen. “Yet they go again and say ‘they’re going to do better’.”

“They’re not doing better – we have to make sure that people are held to the rules already in the system, and actually mean it,” said Bergen.

In response to gun violence in recent years, police established the Shooting Response Team and Core Patrol Team.

“Right now I do not have the funding to bring a Core patrol there, but I’m bringing it forward,” said Berge, “because it’s necessary.”

City budget talks won’t start until the fall, and the chief says it’s too early to say how much of an increase he’ll be requesting.

“So at this point, I’m not being alarmist,” said Bergen. “But I’m saying that we have to have the conversation to say: what does it cost to create public safety?”

WATCH MORE: Hamilton police chief speaks about recent gun violence downtown