Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all, Mr. and Mrs. Bagby, I'd just like to say how sorry I am that this tragedy happened to your family. On my behalf and that of my colleagues and everyone here, I'd like to express our deepest condolences and sympathies to you for your loss.
Mr. Andrews, I'd like to commend you and thank you for bringing this bill before Parliament. Far too often, in the partisan nature of this place, we lose focus of the jobs we are sent here to do. It's my view that one of the paramount jobs we're sent here to do is to enact legislation that protects our communities, our families, and especially our minor children. I think this amendment to our Criminal Code is long overdue. I want to thank you for bringing this forward. I think this is a perfect example of the sort of thing that can happen when all parties work together for the benefit of all the people we represent.
As you know, our government has worked very hard to revise our criminal justice legislation to ensure that our families and our communities are protected, as evidenced by the announcement by the Minister of Justice earlier today of some proposed amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which I hope will also be seen by all parties in the same light.
I'd like to ask you to describe for us, if you can, how you believe this change to the Criminal Code of Canada will ensure the protection of our youth.