Hello to you, Mr. Chair, and to all the members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
I invite you to read my brief, and I'm ready to answer all your questions.
Here are the key points I want to cover.
First of all, under the existing Extradition Act, Canadian citizens can be extradited on the basis of hearsay evidence, the veracity and reliability of which are questionable. The only evidence you get is an account of the events according to a second or third party. There's no sworn statement or solemn affirmation. Certification doesn't involve a personal affirmation or statement either. Worse still, case law holds that the judge reviewing the record of the case doesn't have to consider whether the content of the record is true.
Since 1989, we have had universal jurisdiction to try Canadians who are accused of crimes committed in other countries, like Rwanda or Mexico. These Canadians have all been tried here. At the very least, we should be giving Canadian citizens an opportunity to plead guilty in Canada, which wouldn't violate our contractual obligations. It's all the more important when the accused citizen has a mental illness.
I just want to say a few words about disproportionate sentences. For example, in Canada, the penalty for trafficking Xanax is a maximum of three years. In the United States, the penalty for the exact same crime is five to 40 years.
I don't know if my five minutes are up. All the rest of the information I wanted you to have is included in my brief. I know you'll also have questions for me.