Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and my thanks to the witnesses.
I agree with the other members who have said this has been a thoughtful conversation, and I appreciate it. I also always appreciate it when people come in their own behalf rather than on behalf of any group, because I really do appreciate citizen engagement.
I found myself quite conflicted, though. I'll start by saying, Professor MacDonnell, I thought you came as close as anyone to articulating well the concerns about the temporal issue in the amended citizen's arrest power, those being the higher possibility of false arrest, the possibility of resistance from the arrestee because he or she is not aware of the reasons for the arrest, and the possibility of impairment or erosion of an investigation or seizure of evidence. I want you to know I get that.
I would say to all of the witnesses, and I'll start with Professor MacDonnell, is that I look at those possibilities as the imperfect implementation of a law. Any law can be imperfectly implemented. Every law, in fact, is subject to abuse or misuse or underuse or imperfect implementation. So I would like to begin with this question. As a matter of principle, forgetting trying to look into the crystal ball and seeing how the law will be implemented, but as a matter of principle, do you see anything wrong in principle with the notion that if you were to knock me over the head, steal my watch and ring, and run off, and I see you the next day with no possibility to get a police officer's help, I should legally be able to catch you?
I'll start with Professor MacDonnell.