Good afternoon, everybody. I would like to call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 31 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Pursuant to the order of reference of April 15, 2026, the committee will begin its study of Bill C-231, an act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.
The sound tests have been done for the people online. You're both nodding.
I would like to make a few comments for the benefit of witnesses and members.
Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mic, and please mute yourself when you are not talking.
For those on Zoom, at the bottom of your screen, you can select the appropriate channel for interpretation: floor, English or French. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired channel.
As a reminder, all comments should be directed through the chair. For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
For the first hour, from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., we have appearing today, on Bill C-231, MP Luc Berthold.
Welcome, Mr. Berthold. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for bringing your family with you, and thank you for moving this bill forward. We appreciate that.
We will be joined by Justine Berthold, who is a nurse, I understand, and Caroline Levesque, who is an early childhood educator. We also have Angy Riendeau, a criminologist, who will be providing some evidence as well.
As I said, we'll have a panel for 60 minutes, which will take us to about 5:45 p.m., and then we will proceed to clause-by-clause.
Mr. Berthold, I don't really need to explain the procedure to you, sir. You know it as well as or better than I do. The floor is yours.