Canada has new bail and sentencing laws — now let's see them enforced.

 Canada has new bail and sentencing laws — now let's see them enforced.

The federal Bail and Sentencing Reform Act (Bill C-14) became law this year, with more than 80 changes to the Criminal Code. The reforms make bail harder to obtain in certain cases involving repeat and violent offending, and introduce tougher sentencing provisions for serious and repeat offences.

That matters when we see what happened in Guelph this weekend.

Vandalism. Violence. Property damage. Dangerous behaviour. Police are reviewing footage and investigating.

If you come to Canada — whether you are a student, visitor or anyone else — respect our laws and our communities.

If you commit a serious offence, there should be real consequences.

And if you are a foreign national, criminal convictions can also have immigration consequences under Canadian law, including possible removal depending on the circumstances.

Canada is a welcoming country. But being welcomed here does not mean being free to destroy property, hurt people or terrorize a community.

The message should be simple:

Come here. Study. Work. Build a life. Enjoy yourself.

But respect the people and communities around you.

Break the law and there can be consequences. The new laws are on the books. Now they need to be enforced.