Manitoba Justice minister Kelvin Goertzen wants changes to the Criminal Code of Canada that to cover the use of knives in the commission of a crime.

Currently section 515(6) of the code indicates that when an accused has been charged with an offence using a firearm it is more difficult to obtain bail.

Geortzen wants the Federal government to include knives in the same provision to make it more difficult for an accused violent offender who has used a knife in the commission of a crime to obtain bail.

In a media statement Goertzen said “Too often, those that use knives as weapons have a previous violent history and at times are on bail awaiting trial on offences when they are alleged to have committed another violent crime. This is frustrating for Manitobans and devastating for those who are victimized.”

The minister noted that given the prevalence of violent crimes committed with knives this would be an important change in the interes of public history.