Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to implement a three-strike rule for Canada’s penal system if he is elected prime minister, and reactions are mixed.
Earlier this week on the campaign trail, Poilievre repeated his promise that if elected, he plans to implement laws restricting people who have been convicted of three serious offences from receiving bail, probation, parole or house arrest. The same rules would enforce a minimum sentence of ten years, and offenders could receive a life sentence.
“The only way for repeat offenders to obtain their freedom will be through spotless behaviour and clean drug tests during a lengthy minimum prison sentence with earned release, dependent on making real progress in improving their lives, such as learning a trade or upgrading their education,” Poilievre told the crowd at his Sault Saint Marie campaign stop on Wednesday.
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While there has been legal debate about the constitutionality of Poilievre’s proposed plan for a three-strike rule, people are sharing their thoughts online and some people agree with the concept.
“If someone is convicted of a serious crime for the third time, they have demonstrated that the other methods aren’t affecting their behavior,” one X user said. “So at that point, as per our Charter, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the individual.”
“I support this. Should be 2 strikes,” another person commented.
“That sounds sensible to me. The insane thing is that we do not already have a justice system which works this way.”
“It’s about time! This revolving catch and release nonsense needs to stop!”
While other people feel like these laws would be unhelpful.
“If that kind of policy worked, the United States would have the safest country with the lowest crime rate and the fewest incarcerated citizens per capita,” one X user wrote.
@nowtoronto Poilievre announces “three strikes, you’re out law” promising to crack down on crime. #Cdnpoli #Election2025 ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
“That is not the way the world is. It does sound like a carbon copy of a failed United States / Trumpian policy though.”
“This would inevitably harm people doing petty crimes in order to survive – like theft,” another person said. “This would also harm survivors of human trafficking and exploitation who are often arrested and charged instead of receiving help.”
“While I applaud the desire to deal with repeat offenders, a simplistic 3 strikes rule is both unconstitutional and rife with all kinds of bad side effects. It’s not like it’s a new idea. We have lots of experience around the world,” one Redditor said.
