Well, I agree. I know it's expensive to incarcerate somebody. I think it might be $90,000 or $100,000 a year. I get that. That's a fraction of the overall government budget. That is a lot of money where I come from. I'm a penny-pincher. I buy cheap suits. But in the overall budget of this land, I think the criminal justice budget is reasonably insignificant as a percentage.
If we're going to spend money in the criminal justice system, I would suggest that if indeed this bill identifies more people that are potentially dangerous.... I know all about Peter Whitmore. I don't know his record to the same specifics as I do Mr. Callow's. But if, for instance, the next time he goes wrong, or let's say maybe if these current offences were flashed forward post-passage of this bill--if it indeed does pass--if it captured him, then that would be a good thing.
So if we were spending $90,000 or $100,000 more a year because we were incarcerating the likes of Peter Whitmore, I think that would be an appropriate expense in the context of the overall budget. I think it's an appropriate expense in the context of the overall budget of the criminal justice system. I would go back to what I said before, which is that we can't afford not to lock up dangerous offenders, particularly people like Paul Callow.
Mr. Whitmore's previous record is a matter of public record. The current allegations are just that. But this is the kind of offender that I believe, and the CCAA believes, would be captured underBill C-27. We know Mr. Callow would, but I'm not sure about Mr. Whitmore.