The Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo says he won’t take his “foot off the gas pedal” when it comes to pushing for bail reform.

Responding to a question from Councillor Bill Sarai at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, Frank Caputo says the issue has been “heating up” in parliament.

“It’s come to a bit of a crescendo as in you judge how much of something is an issue based on how many questions are being asked in question period, Caputo said. “It’s very rare that you see 13 premiers from 10 provinces and three territories united in one single issue.”

While Justice Minister David Lametti said Friday that the federal government will move forward quickly on “targeted reforms” to update the country’s bail system, Caputo told council he’s not sure when communities can expect to see tangible changes.

“I would hope we would see legislation in April or May. It is debated, and this would be highly debated, but if there is uniform agreement and all the parties say yes, this is the right thing, then it can pass fairly quickly,” Caputo said.

“But then it has to get studied at committee and this will probably take three or four meetings. So, I don’t see this legislation receiving royal assent, especially going through the Senate, for before the fall. But stranger things have happened.”

He also told council he is part of a justice and human rights committee which has been studying the issue of bail reform. That committee, Caputo said, heard from former Kamloops RCMP Supt. Syd Lecky who was discussing his experiences with bail, as well as from two other Indigenous police chiefs.

Caputo, who has tabled a private member’s bill that aims to create a stricter bail regime for serious repeat gun offenders, told council he plans to keep pressing for changes in parliament.

“My position is enough talk, let’s get this done,” he said. “I’ve seen legislation happen overnight.”