Ms. Suzanne Costom at the Justice and Human Rights Committee

I would like to say something.

You asked if there were any experts among us who had ever carried out studies on the effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences. I can tell you that within the CBA, the Canadian Bar Association, we have studied these issues several times. I know that we do not have much time, but we came to more or less the same conclusion as that stated by the Honourable Mr. Ménard, according to which mandatory minimum sentences do not prevent crime. They take discretion away from the judge, who plays such an independent role in our system.