Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, March 30, 25-year old Joan Heimbecker, a graduate student at McMaster University, was brutally murdered in her residence apartment. She was shot several times with a sawed off shotgun. This senseless and cowardly act has left the Hamilton and area community in a state of shock and horror.
The individual responsible for this act of murder has not yet been apprehended and is still at large. It is our hope the killer will be located and prosecuted a.s.a.p.
Clearly, brutal acts of murder such as the one which claimed Joan Heimbecker's life reinforce the need to ensure that convicted murderers receive a life sentence for their crimes with no chance of parole for 25 years.
We must do everything in our power to protect the public from this kind of violence by fashioning a judicial system that is aimed at crime prevention and which, equally important, addresses victims' rights when violent crimes are committed.
I am sure all members of this House will join me in offering sincere condolences to the family, friends and fellow students of Joan Heimbecker.