Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here this afternoon, Mr. Minister.
Let me remind you that we supported this bill at second reading. But that was not to give you a blank cheque, it was to achieve a balanced approach. We recognize that this is a very difficult issue for victims, families and communities. Of course, as my colleague said, public safety must be the top priority, within the context of respect for the rule of law and for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. So we will be studying this bill closely.
We have been clear that we are open to change. We must be sure of the way in which we manage cases in which the accused suffers from a mental illness. So there must be effective mental health care. We also want to know, very specifically, how we can help victims through this process.
In the coming weeks, we will be speaking to victims, to mental health experts, to representatives of the provinces, and so on. A number of witnesses will shed light on this for us and we will choose the best solution, the most balanced approach. We will not get involved in political games; we will examine the issue on its merits, case by case.
Mr. Minister, a number of victims have told us, not once, twice or ten times, but hundreds of times, that what they are looking for first and foremost is (a) psychological support and (b) financial support. Will Bill C-54 provide victims with psychological and financial support?