Thank you.
I appreciate the points raised by my colleagues. I note that there are distinctions in the rationale for each position from the Conservatives and the NDP. I think that's important to highlight. We did hear from a number of witnesses that hybridization will allow Crown flexibility. We trust Crown attorneys every day to make these decisions on hybrid offences: on how to proceed and how to use all the tools at their disposal in order to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to be done. I trust the Crown attorneys to make those decisions.
Hybridizing will allow greater flexibility and has been the subject, as we heard, of discussions between the federal government and the provinces and territories. The sentencing principles under section 718 of the Criminal Code will remain the same and the circumstances of the offence and of the offender will remain the principal thing that is determinative of the sentence. I think that hybridizing—in particular, this offence and a series of others—is an important tool that we will allow the Crown attorneys to use and, with great respect, that will not have the consequences on sentencing that have been advanced by my honourable colleagues across. I think that is important.
We have to deal with the Jordan decision. This will allow the courts to proceed in the appropriate cases or the Crown attorneys to make those determinations in the appropriate cases for them to proceed in a more effective manner. I will not be supporting this amendment.
Thank you.