Thank you.
Apparently it is acceptable to make comments without asking a question. I was taken somewhat to task for doing that last Tuesday, but, there you go…
I appreciated your testimony, which has cleared up some points for me. I would like to ask Mr. Russomanno some specific questions.
The way in which this bill is expressed gives me the impression that, in determining that kind of sentence, they sort of had drunk driving in mind. There is a first offence, then a second, for which the sentence is 14 days, then a third, for which there is another penalty. As this is your area of practice I would like to ask you this question.
We often see headlines like “Drunk driver: seventh time”. Then we wonder why that person has still not been put in jail and why his driver's licence has not been taken away. Perhaps this bill gives us the impression of being falsely severe. Actually, in a lot of cases, the crown does not even have the time to check the accused's record before laying the charge, either as a summary offence or an indictable offence. That is why I feel that a repeat offence of mischief, such as the destruction of a monument, may very well be treated as a first offence.
Am I wrong in saying that?