Certainly, in my experience, not only as a prosecutor but in other roles I've played in the Attorney General's department in Manitoba, there's always been that reluctance among individuals, especially in communities that are being plagued by gangs. Why should they get involved if the same individual is back out on the street, on bail, very shortly, or even if upon conviction they're out very quickly?
There is a tendency to view the system as not being proactive enough. That's certainly something I've heard over and over again in the course of my career. If witnesses can be assured that somebody with a gun is not going to get bail, they are obviously more likely to testify. That's one of the reasons we made that change, for example, in the reverse onus on bail for those who are carrying illegal firearms. It's a small amendment, but very effective over the long term, in terms of protecting witnesses and giving witnesses confidence.