I've been silent and will not likely participate in much of the back and forth about each of these efforts to hybridize. I would just like to say again for the record, because we've been away for a while, that we also take the view that hybridization is not the way to go here.
We have said over and over again that the minister has failed to accept the mandate in her mandate letter to deal with mandatory minimum penalties, something that was promised to the Canadian people, and something that is studiously avoided in a 402-page bill. That would make judges accountable for the sentences they deliver.
This bill allows Crown council, in the privacy of their offices, to decide with no transparency how to proceed. We think that's wrong. We think it doesn't do the job. I associate myself with the remarks of my colleague Mr. Cooper. This is a massive downloading to the provinces, where most of the action in criminal law already is. There's a certain ad hocery about choosing some that we won't hybridize and others that we will. I find the whole thing misguided.
Thank you.