Mr. Taylor, I believe it's very instructive that the Liberals are telling everybody that they're using the safety valve to strengthen mandatory minimum sentences but are not applying the safety valve to the most serious offences of murder and treason. That, in and of itself, defies logic and exposes the argument for the safety valve doing not what it intends to do but, rather, quite the opposite. It does not strengthen mandatory minimum sentences, because if it did, then the Liberals would apply the safety valve to murder and treason as well. It weakens mandatory minimum penalties.
We're living in a crazy environment. We all knock on doors. We all talk to voters. I come from the city of Toronto, where crime right now is the most important issue for voters. People don't feel safe walking the streets of downtown Toronto. They don't feel safe taking the TTC. They don't feel safe in their local neighbourhoods in North York. We need to take a bite out of crime. We need to strengthen mandatory minimum penalties, not weaken them. What we've been seeing from the judiciary—with respect to the judiciary—is the undermining of mandatory minimum penalties.
Mr. Brock is proposing a reasonable amendment to put some sort of parameters around the safety valve, parameters that exist in other jurisdictions. Will the Liberals please not undermine mandatory minimum penalties and put some sort of framework around this proposed safety valve by passing Mr. Brock's amendment?
Thank you.