I am convinced that your work with the cadets is essential. We should put the teaching of history back on the program to make young people aware of respect for these cenotaphs and other war memorials, instead of frightening them and pretending that the minimum sentences included in this legislation are going to settle everything. If we focused on prevention instead of repression, maybe there would be less vandalism. I make this statement as a criminologist.
Mr. Tilson, do you believe that mandatory minimum sentences suit all cases of mischief committed against war memorials, or rather that this question should be left to the discretion of the judge of the facts? Since this is the person who deals with the facts of a case, the presence of damage, the voluntary or involuntary nature of the deed, disrespectful gestures and so forth, would he not be better placed to decide what sentence to impose on the offender?
Thank you.