Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I also thank the witnesses for being here with us today.
My first question is for Chief Alexis.
It was interesting to hear what you had to say about the discretionary power of judges. You are not the first person before the committee to have said that mandatory minimum sentences undermine judges' discretionary power to personalize the sentence.
Howard Sapers, the Correctional Investigator of Canada, said that that there was a contradiction in the Criminal Code. There is a requirement that all of the circumstances be taken into account in sentencing. However, at the same time, minimum mandatory sentences are imposed.
The Canadian Bar Association proposed an amendment to Bill C-583 that would introduce an exemption in section 718 of the Criminal Code to give the courts the discretionary power to set aside the mandatory minimum sentence when it would cause an injustice.
My colleague asked you a question on that, but you did not have time to reply to it. Do you think that principle should have precedence over mandatory minimum sentences in regard to certain problems such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, mental troubles, or consideration of the Gladue principle?