So let me summarize. The result of this bill will be to drastically increase costs, both operational and capital. It will drive up overcrowding, which will result in more tension and more violence for both staff and inmates.
We have what sounds to me like a successful program, through which the vast majority of people who get out on accelerated parole do not reoffend. Do we have any evidence that keeping these people in jail for longer will have any positive effect?
I also note, Mr. Chairman, for the record, that there's nobody here from the National Parole Board. We tried to get someone here, and I just want to read into the record that they said:
Given the extremely short notice the Parole Board of Canada was provided to prepare for today's meeting, literally hours ago, the PBC must decline the committee's invitation to appear later today. PBC officials would be delighted to appear before the committee at a future date.
I want to ask the committee this. The Bloc and the Conservatives have joined together to ram this through Parliament in a matter of a week. Is there any urgency, based on evidence, that you can tell us about, to passing this bill today, as opposed to studying the impacts of this bill, determining the costs, finding out who it would affect, and determining the policy implications of this?