I'll be supporting the amendment. I actually have a private member's bill on the same issue, which I derive from the experience in England, which has exactly this type of provision. I think it's a general provision in their whole criminal justice legislation that, given exceptional circumstances, the judiciary has an ongoing judicial discretion even when there are specific penalties, whether those penalties be minimum or maximum.
I hear the argument about its being counterintuitive. In fact, it is the practice in England. It has been for at least a decade now.
Mr. Chair, I do have one question, just so that we're very clear on this. I know Mr. Ménard sees this as applying only to section 151. I'm wondering if the officials agree with that, or whether there is any way this can be interpreted as applying to any other sections in this bill.