I know your province is bilingual.
Thank you for coming.
Your testimony certainly promotes your government and demonstrates your will to see the bill improved. There were times when balance was somewhat questionable, but that has been improved towards the end.
The role of the legislator is to make decisions based on convincing and conclusive information. Since we began consideration of this bill two weeks ago, scientific studies undertaken in the States as well as in Canada have been tabled. The studies prove that there is no connection in terms of deterrent between mandatory minimum sentences and the rate of reoffending. This is the issue we have to decide on. Obviously, this does not mean that there should never be mandatory minimum sentences, and no one wishes to see individuals who have committed crimes with a firearm free to roam the streets.
Before you took a position on the bill, in the brief presented to Cabinet, did you, in your capacity as attorney General have access to scientific data or to studies that contradicted this idea that mandatory minimum sentences are not a deterrent? Did you have access to scientific studies that you could share with us, or are we talking about impressions, rather than scientific evidence?
I would appreciate it if you could give me a brief answer because I have two other questions to ask you.