Thank you very much, Chair.
I appreciate the motion that my colleague, Mr. Caputo, has moved.
Let me share for a brief moment some reflections that are not my own, which I heard over the course of the constituency week from some law enforcement professionals in my constituency. To make sure that I protect them, I won't get too specific as to where they're from and which police force they're a part of. Suffice it to say, they police a large rural area and part of the region that I have the honour of representing.
The reason it's so relevant is that it relates to the catch-and-release policies that see a very small number of offenders—in many cases dangerous, violent offenders—being arrested time and time again for the same crimes. You have small communities.... In the area that I represent, there are several hundred people who are terrorized by a small group of people. Everybody knows who is perpetrating these crimes. The police know that is in fact the case. It is so frustrating, and in fact demoralizing, to our hard-working men and women who wear police uniforms of various departments.
I know this motion specifically references the Victoria Police Department and that's very valid, but it's an amplification of the message that we hear from so many law enforcement professionals. These are individuals who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, yet they feel like the forces are pushing back against them being able to do their jobs with the catch-and-release policies like those that we've seen from Bill C-75.
Whether it's in small towns across rural Alberta, in the north, in the Maritimes or in our big cities where we see cars sometimes the same day or within a couple of days being shipped overseas, this is a huge concern. I suggest it requires the continued urgency of this committee, especially as we are hearing from those who are on the front lines.
I cannot emphasize that enough. Those who are on the front lines are facing the direct consequences of this. I could not imagine a more difficult career in today's world than being a law enforcement professional, a police officer, with all of the pressures. They have policies of their government working against their ability to do their jobs and protect the communities where they live and work and that they care so deeply about.
There is much more that I could say on this subject. I would simply say, to my colleagues from other parties, let's treat this with the urgency that Canadians are demanding this committee treat it with. Let's pass this motion. It's a small step to acknowledge some of the urgency in how we can address auto theft, and specifically the issues surrounding those repeat violent offenders. Hundreds of hours of police work go into those arrests, yet the offenders are being turned out within hours. In many cases, they are then back out on the streets committing those same crimes, endangering our communities and traumatizing individuals. Quite frankly, Canadians deserve better than what they're getting.
I hope that this committee seizes this opportunity to take a serious look at this issue with some of the information that is being brought forward by the Victoria Police Department, to amplify that message that we are hearing from so many across our country.