Justice committee  Is that question directed to me as well?

Justice committee  It is to all three of us. I will begin. Yes, I agree with you on that point. We are living in a time period when there is a considerable amount of misinformation with regard to crime and criminal justice matters. Within the public realm, I think an information education package would be necessary to ensure that people are aware of their rights and where to go to ensure that they are in fact enforced.

Justice committee  No, I am not.

Justice committee  I would expect that there should be a study or a comprehensive review, not only of the opinions of victims of crime but of the number of applications that have been identified as frivolous or that have been dismissed and the number of times victims have had to appear on more than two or three occasions to address or to be present at the reviews.

Justice committee  No, I don't think they would. But the individual would probably have a fairly good idea from the ongoing reports and recommendations that are being made by his case management team.

Justice committee  The results of a murder are never just and humane. The impact on family members cannot be underplayed. For decades, victims in this country have received the short end of the stick with regard to their dealings with the criminal justice system. Progress has been made over the last few years, evidenced by the increase in requirements for information sharing that have been placed on both the National Parole Board and the Correctional Service, and the appointment of a victims' ombudsman.

Justice committee  I'm not sure I understand either. I would support the reasons provided by Mr. Sauvé. The institutional environment in our federal penitentiaries is not an inviting and pleasant place. It is difficult, oftentimes, to stay out of trouble. A conviction for a minor or major offence creates a black mark.

Justice committee  I believe there's no one answer. But I think one of the variables that has come into play is the existence of mandatory minimums. When you begin to remove discretion, whether it is at the court level in the sentencing process or at the parole decision level with regard to release, you end up with a focus not on the individual, not on the individual circumstances of the crime itself or the individual characteristics that led that person to that situation; you begin to address and respond to an act rather than an individual.

Justice committee  The John Howard Society created a brief that it provided to the Senate committee, which was initially reviewing the legislation. I'm sorry, as with the Quebec bar, I thought the paper had been transferred over. It will be provided to your clerk and copies will be given.

Justice committee  I thank the committee on behalf of the John Howard Society of Canada for the invitation to appear today. We appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss Bill S-6. In June 2010, I left with the clerk copies of our submission on the legislation presented to the Senate's Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.