Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We can say that children who have been born and raised in stable conditions like the ones we are familiar with become adults when they reach age 18. I'd like to give you a simple example. I've been an MP for a year now, and I have four children. My eldest is 18. Since I'm in Ottawa all week, I don't get home until the weekend. I thought that only the younger children were having trouble with the separation, but my eldest told me that I couldn't know how much she misses me and how much she needs me. I was very surprised by that because I told myself that, at 18, she had become independent, an adult. Those words had a profound effect on me.
As a mother, I'm putting myself in the place of all parents, all mothers who will have to see their children 16 and older incarcerated with them. I don't think we're considering the best interests of the children here. We made immense progress in respecting fundamental rights, human rights and universal rights. But I don't understand why today, going from 16 to 18, should pose a real problem. I would also like to stress the fact that this involves vulnerable people and children. I think we need to take that into account in the decision to move the age from 16 to 18 years.