Thank you.
We're talking about this undue hardship concern. I will continue with this in a little bit.
If one looks exactly at the fines, for an individual the minimum fine on a summary conviction is $5,000, but only for the most serious offences. For all other types of offences there is no minimum fine. I understand the importance of establishing parameters to help judges with their sentencing, both the minimum and the maximum, but $5,000 for a most serious offence toward an individual.... I think there is a desire by the government to demonstrate with this bill that we, as a country, are going to be tough on environmental crime. With the example Mr. Woodworth brought up, the fact that there has been and is a mechanism for calling for cruel and unusual punishment if indeed there is something of an extraordinary nature.... Why temper a minimum that seems reasonable for something that as a most serious environmental offence is $5,000? Why is there even a need to temper that?