Mr. Speaker, I commend the member on his thoughts. I want to relate to him some incidents with regard to people falling into that category. My 31 years in the field of education gave me the opportunity of coming across many youngsters who would fall into that category.
More specifically, I made reference in my maiden speech in this House to one young fellow who had run away from a boys' school where he was being held in custody. He returned after going home to North Battleford to his parents. Upon his arrival his father said: "What are you doing here? I thought you had run away. Get your belongings. You have 15 minutes. Get out of this house and don't ever come back". I remember the cases of many others. In particular I asked one individual: "What was your family background? How did you get into this kind of thing?" He could remember 30 homes he had lived in and he was about 15 or 16 years of age.
In the city of Regina two youngsters of about 10 or 11 years of age physically abused youngsters who were 7 and 8 years of age. My concern is what we are to do with them. A speaker on our side said that between the ages of zero and three we had to make some impact on the lives of young people. Having heard the proposals and knowing the youngsters with whom I have come in contact, I would ask the hon. member opposite what should we do to alter the lifestyle of these people? Does he really think that if we incarcerate them we will resolve the problem?
Specifically I think of a young fellow from the Northwest Territories who spent six months in incarceration where more damage was done to him than he would have ever done in the north in 60 years.
In summary, the member may have some answers. I would be interested in knowing them because I had to deal with some of these youngsters. How would he resolve some of these issues in light of where we are going?