Good day, Minister. Good day, Madams.
It's not so much the whole issue of the presumption of innocence that worries me. I believe the court has already ruled on that matter, so that's not where the problem lies. I only wonder why this provision is necessary.
First of all, we have to remind ourselves that we're dealing with bail through a judicial process. The Criminal Code already contains provisions whereby, in very specific instances, an accused cannot be released on bail. These include offences under section 469, and offences linked to organized crime or terrorist activities.
What I find intriguing is that the Minister notes that there are few statistics available on people who have been released on bail following a weapons-related offence. Yet, the bill focusses on this very matter.
How can the government draft a bill and not be able to provide us with concrete information? Given the way in which courts -- or in Quebec's case, justices of the peace -- administer justice, is there any reason to think...At this stage of the process, the courts are not ruling on a person's guilt.
How can you come before us without actual figures on the number of people who have been released on bail in the case of weapons-related offences, and at the same time ask us to adopt a bill that deals with this very issue? If your department has provided some figures, I haven't seen them. I don't know if any of my colleagues have seen them. I'd like you to provide us with data to back up the government's bill and to confirm the system shortcomings it is attempting to correct.