Thank you.
This question is to the CBA. It relates to the drug offences numbers that we were given. In your submission you quoted the Canada Safety Council, which found that: “There's little demonstrable correlation between the severity of sentences imposed and the volume of offences recorded...the greatest impact on patterns of offending is publicizing apprehension rates, or increasing the prospect of being caught.”
Would you agree with me that the increase in drug offences, as recorded by StatsCan, could easily be because of a lack of prevention, treatment, or apprehension, versus punishment?
In whatever little time we have left, could you elaborate on your ideas of the disproportionate impact on minority groups that this bill would have?