The “recognizance with conditions” provisions require an individual to enter into an agreement before a judge to abide by reasonable conditions imposed by the judge in order to prevent the carrying out of a terrorist activity.
This, along with the investigative hearings and the new provisions with respect to intercepting someone leaving the country for the purpose of participating or assisting in terrorist activities, is part of the preventative measures. These are measures put in place to stop the kind of activity that can terrorize a community or a country. They are put in place to prevent other very serious crime from happening.
I think they're important. That's why they were placed in there, in the original legislation, approximately 10 years ago now. They were there so that the police would have the tools to break up the kind of activity that we have witnessed in the world. I think they're important measures. I know those in the law enforcement community are very interested in making sure they have this measure. People involved with fighting terrorism are supportive of it.
As you quite correctly pointed out, they did lapse in 2007. The legislation provided that unless Parliament renewed them or extended them.... I was justice minister at the time, and my understanding was that we were going to be able to at that time, but that wasn't the case.
We continue to believe in the importance of them, Mr. Chair, so I'm pleased that they've now been passed by the Senate. Certainly it's my hope that we will continue, that they'll be passed completely by Parliament, and that they'll be part of the tools that law enforcement agents will have to break up terrorist activity.