Thank you very much for that question. It allows me to make sure I clarify another thing. The language in the bill is “up to“, so that's why I say it gives them discretion. It does not limit them to having a review or a hearing earlier than the five-year period. It simply gives them the discretion to do that.
As far as discouraging is concerned, I would hope that it would actually encourage offenders to get busy on their correctional plan and be ready to be able to show they're worthy of a parole board hearing, and at a most expeditious time, and that they're prepared to go out and be contributing Canadian citizens. One of the things I often see, and one of the criticisms about those of us who are victims' advocates is that people think it's mutually exclusive—that you're either for the rehabilitation and reintegration and betterment of society by having inmates who are rehabilitated or educated with a tool so that they could live successfully, or you advocate for victims. I don't see those as mutually exclusive.
I think that one of the best things you can do for Canadians, for victims, is to make sure offenders are released in a way that they're not going to be detractors from society anymore, but contributors. I don't think this bill in any way, shape, or form eliminates the capability of offenders of doing that. As I said, it only gives the Parole Board of Canada discretion.