My question is for Mr. Battista, from the Barreau du Québec, first; Mr. Rudin or the lady here could also answer after.
There are extremely powerful street gangs in Montreal, so much so that Ms. Mourani, from the Bloc Québécois, has published a book condemning the situation. Not far from Montreal, in Kanesatake, houses are being burned down, drugs are being trafficked, there is prostitution and there are street gangs. We are dealing with two separate groups, but they operate the same way. These groups are subject to—I hope you will agree—the Criminal Code, and they should certainly be punished. The former minister here had problems with the Kanesatake group in the past. The Sûreté du Québec is afraid to go into Kanesatake. That's the first problem.
The Montreal police has problems because the street gangs so powerful that they operate virtually in broad daylight, and it's no secret to anyone. What do they do? Quite calm things at times: they sell drugs and engage in prostitution. They commit crimes that, on the face of it, are not violent. However, these crimes entail a frightening problem for all communities: 14 and 15-year-old prostitutes. For seven, eight or ten years, even our Department of Justice has been having problems. Mr. Ménard had to confront the worst gang ever, the bikers. However, they weren't selling drugs. That's soft, drugs.
We are dealing with the same problem currently. There was the legislation we are talking about today. Everyone was given every opportunity to succeed. I'm wondering whether, despite all of those opportunities, we haven't fallen into the same trap 10 years later. We can't get out of it. We had this problem before, and now we are having it again. Do you have a solution?
You say that imprisonment is sometimes an excessive sentence. It's easy for us to sit around a table and talk about what is excessive. But could you tell me why, when a conditional sentence is imposed and not respected, a sentence of imprisonment is imposed? If a sentence of imprisonment is not the right sentence, why don't we hand out a second conditional sentence, if it's so good? I'm trying to understand your view point. I respect it, but you and I both have a problem in our community. If we don't get it together, we will soon have a problem.
Mr. Battista, what is unreasonable about this bill? What would you keep and what would you get rid of?