Mr. Dandurand, thank you very much for your testimony here today.
I have a couple of questions.
In my area in Toronto, in Rexdale, we've had a lot of gun-related crime. The problem the police have is with witnesses coming forward. Many of these crimes are committed in broad daylight. There are clearly people who have witnessed what's gone on, but they're frightened to death, with good reason in many or most cases, to come forward. Even programs like Crime Stoppers or anonymous numbers aren't working.
I've heard from the Toronto police, who've argued that, yes, we need witness protection programs like the type we've been talking about, where people change identity and go to Florida or wherever. A lot of people who witness crimes might have their families in school. They have jobs and they enjoy the neighbourhood. They just wish there would be less crime in that area, and they'd like to come forward.
I've raised this before. I'm not a lawyer, and people argue that, well, under the rules of discovery for any person who would come forward, their identity would be revealed automatically. Are there any ways within the criminal judicial process that people could be encouraged to come forward, keep their anonymity, but stay in the community where they live?