We're always trying to do that, Mr. Goguen.
You made a very good point about the administration of this. In the majority of the cases that I cited they were individuals who were convicted of summary or indictable offences, and it was waived. There was no explanation to the extent that we can check. There were no representations with respect to the individual's ability to pay. For the most part I would guess that it's either forgotten about, or it becomes routine either not to impose it or indeed to collect it.
With that being said, to make this automatically a part of every sentence in Canada sends out a very clear message. It's a good message because victims who find themselves caught up in this terrible situation in their lives want to know that their concerns are being heard, that their priorities are a priority of the criminal justice system. This is not the whole show. This is just one component of that, but it's one more component to say to them that there are consequences for the individual who has inflicted pain on them and/or their families.
It's another way for the individual to make recompense and to get back into contributing to society and say he created these victims on whom he has inflicted this pain and in a way he's helping to put something back into society to try to make some amends for that. It's not very much in terms of monetary amounts, but again it sends the message that there are consequences, and again for the individual who is paying these things he'll say this is a start. The judge is imposing a penalty, an imprisonment or a fine on him, and he has to start making his way back into society. A victim surcharge is a reminder that these things are not just hurtful to the individual who is going to prison, in that he or she suffers, and their family suffers, but other people suffer as a result of their actions.