Mr. Speaker, it is time to bring some sanity to the debate on crime in Canada.
It is fashionable right now to let loose our passions and demand more laws and more punishment as the means of attacking crime in our communities. That response is entirely understandable. Violence and killings have no place in a civilized society.
We on this side of the House are deeply concerned about these issues. However we must all understand that more laws and more punishment alone, and I emphasize alone, will not solve our crime problems. The U.S. would be paradise if that were the case.
No, crime is not that simple. We must also look at what causes crime and anti-social behaviour in the first place: poverty, lack of opportunity, racism and family breakdown.
When we begin to address crime in its full context we will also begin to truly understand the problem and how we might solve it.
Our justice minister knows the complexities of the problems. He deserves our support as he tackles some of the serious issues.