I just want to focus a little bit on victims. The former victims' ombudsman, Steve Sullivan, appeared before this committee in April, and he spoke about the needs of victims. He mentioned a speech Prime Minister Harper gave at the opening of the victims of crime symposium, and he said, regarding Mr. Harper's speech, and I quote:
I was a little disappointed, however, that he proceeded in his speech focusing almost exclusively on how we treat offenders. On the day we were supposed to remember and recognize victims of crime, he talked about Karla Homolka, Clifford Olson, and Graham James. And I can tell you that when he left and a discussion began among those victim service providers and within those workshops, the issues we talked about were very different.
He mentioned some of the things you elaborated on. Victims really want those offenders not to reoffend. They want to be safe. They want those offenders to not hurt anybody else. And they want those offenders to understand and appreciate the harm that's been caused. That's fundamentally, I think, what victims have expressed they want in this country.
It's not just, as I think Mr. Rathgeber expressed, that victims are one-sided on this. Victims have testified, and they say in this country every day, and in the coffee shops of this country, that they want offenders to succeed. They want you to become productive members of society as well, because after all, that's the best way to have public safety.
I just want to know if any of you have any final comments on that and maybe on how victims' interests may be served by you obtaining pardons.