Merci.
Thank you very much for your presence here today, Minister, and thank you for bringing forth this bill.
In discussions with some of my colleagues, both in my own caucus and in other caucuses, and with former colleagues in the legal profession, there seems to be agreement. When the death penalty was first abolished, and life sentences with no possibility of parole before 25 years were brought in, in 1996, Parliament probably did not consider the possibility of multiple murderers and whether it would be appropriate to allow the judge the discretion to order that the parole ineligibility be served consecutively in the case of convictions for more than one murder.
I think this piece of legislation is timely. However, I do find it unfortunate--and perhaps you can explain--that while this bill was first tabled in 2009, it sat at first reading for 64 days, and then the Prime Minister prorogued at the very last day of 2009, I believe it was; and we sat through an 81-day prorogation before the throne speech took place on March 23, 2010, and then you and your government did not retable the bill for 216 days.
I think it's unfortunate that for whatever reason--and you may be able to provide this committee and families of victims with the reasons for these delays--second reading was not moved in the last session of Parliament rather than leaving it there for 64 days, and then, once prorogation was over, that you waited 216 days before retabling it. I'm glad that when you finally did table it, you moved second reading fairly quickly and it's been able to come before this committee quickly.