ManitobaThe leader of Manitoba’s Opposition is calling recent data on the province’s ankle monitoring “embarrassing,” following a CBC News story that revealed more than half the people released with the devices since they were introduced last year were rearrested or broke the rules of their release while wearing one.Obby Khan questions why data was denied earlier this year, ‘but magically, here it is in a CBC report’Caitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News · Posted: Oct 27, 2025 7:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 6 minutesManitoba PC Opposition Leader Obby Khan speaks during question period at the legislative building on Monday. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)The leader of Manitoba’s Opposition is calling recent data on the province’s ankle monitoring “embarrassing,” following a CBC News story that revealed more than half the people released with the devices since they were introduced last year were rearrested or broke the rules of their release while wearing one.“Those are the facts. That’s the reality under this failed NDP government,” Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan said during question period in the Manitoba Legislature on Monday.Numbers recently released by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe’s office showed just over 60 per cent of the 530 people released through the ankle monitoring program from when it was introduced last year to Oct. 16 were rearrested or broke the rules of their release — including more than 50 who removed the device and fled, CBC first reported earlier Monday.Wiebe’s office provided the numbers to CBC after the province previously refused to disclose them. The data was released after CBC obtained similar numbers during recent bail hearings, where Crown attorneys used the stats to argue against bail for some people seeking to be released with an ankle monitor.In one recent hearing, a Crown attorney called the program’s failure rate “staggering.”Over 60% of people in Manitoba’s ankle monitoring program were rearrested or breached rules Justice Minister Wiebe said in an interview last week he thinks the province is seeing success in the program, in part because the devices’ GPS data lets authorities track people down quickly if they commit a breach or new offence.”Before now … the search would begin” in such cases, he said. “And that’s a huge strain on our law enforcement resources.”Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, who defended the success of the program, during question period at the Manitoba Legislature on Monday. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)While Wiebe’s office said the numbers show about 60 per cent of people released with an ankle monitor ended up being rearrested or breaching their conditions, one criminologist previously told CBC that including people still wearing the devices in the failure rate, instead of only looking at outcomes for people who have finished the program, is “a way to inflate the success numbers.”If the 166 still in the program as of Oct. 16 are removed, its failure rate is actually 89 per cent, University of Winnipeg professor Michael Weinrath said — a number Khan seized on during question period, as he called on Wiebe to step down as justice minister.“Question is simple to the premier: Why is he keeping his failed minister of justice in his portfolio when he thinks 11 per cent is a success rate and a pass?” Khan said.Premier, minister accused of ‘burying evidence’Khan also questioned why Wiebe was “hiding information” on the ankle monitoring program, as he tabled a related freedom of information request from earlier this year that received a response that the department didn’t track the information being requested.“But magically, here it is in a CBC report article, showing exactly what the FIPPA asked for in July,” Khan said. “Why is the premier and the minister of justice burying evidence that clearly shows the failures of this minister of justice?”Manitoba boosts number of ankle monitors to track people on bailManitoba’s NDP government reinstating ankle bracelet program that was cancelled in 2017That May 28 request, which CBC has reviewed, asked for numbers including how many people tampered with their ankle monitors, how many were charged for that and how much money the province has recovered from people tampering with the devices.The response letter, dated July 11, said Manitoba Justice can “advise that no records exist in relation to the number of devices tampered with or of individuals who have been charged with tampering with their ankle bracelet and the monies recovered by the province from these individuals. “This data is not formally tracked by the department.”In response to Khan’s comments during question period, Deputy Premier Uzoma Asagwara noted the previous PC government cut an ankle monitoring program in 2017, which followed an NDP-initiated review of the program that former justice minister Heather Stefanson said found the bracelets were often inaccurate or ineffective. “The program is working. We are catching people who are reoffending,” Asagwara said during question period.“We know there’s more work to do, but 7 1/2 years of cuts and chaos has done a tremendous amount of damage that we’re working to fix for Manitobans.”During question period in the Manitoba Legislature, Uzoma Asagwara commented on cuts to the ankle monitoring program under PC leadership. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)The province introduced ankle monitors in August last year, when Justice Minister Wiebe said they could be used to prevent repeat offending and ensure people follow their conditions while on release.The program, which is overseen by Commissionaires Manitoba, was announced with a $2.9 million budget over two years, and later expanded from 100 devices to up to 200, at an additional cost of $1.2 million for the year.WATCH | What a criminologist and a defence lawyer think about Manitoba’s ankle monitors:How well is Manitoba’s ankle monitoring program working?More than half the people released with an ankle monitor since those devices were introduced in Manitoba last August were rearrested or broke the rules of their release while wearing one, recent numbers obtained by CBC News show — which one expert says paints a “stark” picture of the program’s success.The devices use 24/7 GPS tracking and real-time communication through voice, audio and vibration commands, and can play loud alerts if someone goes into an area they’re not allowed to be.Before they were ousted by the NDP in 2023, the Manitoba PCs had also announced plans to reinstate electronic monitoring.Premier Wab Kinew, who spoke with reporters in the legislative building prior to question period but did not attend, said while there’s “a deterrence component” to the program, “the point is, if somebody is running around when they’re not supposed to, you go arrest them.” Premier Wab Kinew says the ankle monitoring program is ‘pretty straightforward.’ (Bryce Hoye/CBC)“Pretty straightforward, I think,” he said.Later, PC justice and public safety critic Wayne Balcaen told reporters following question period that while the NDP government touts ankle monitoring “as something that is very important,” the numbers show the program has been a failure.Expanded ankle bracelet monitoring will help protect Manitoba intimate partner violence survivors: provinceRemand populations pushing Manitoba jails well over rated capacity, creating ‘volatile’ situation: union“I think the priority of any of these programs is crime prevention,” Balcaen said.“Looking at where predators are, people that have been put on this, is important — making sure that those tools are there. And that’s why when we introduced this as a campaign promise, we were going to make sure that we spent the time researching, getting proper equipment, proper oversight and proper management of this program.”ABOUT THE AUTHORCaitlyn Gowriluk has been writing for CBC Manitoba since 2019. Her work has also appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, and in 2021 she was part of an award-winning team recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association for its breaking news coverage of COVID-19 vaccines. Get in touch with her at caitlyn.gowriluk@cbc.ca.Follow Caitlyn Gowriluk on X
Manitoba Opposition leader calls data from province’s ankle monitor program ’embarrassing’
