Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the hon. member's question. It is not a matter of defending the Young Offenders Act as it now stands, but rather of amending it and improving it. There are problems in this country today and we must deal with them. As was mentioned, gangs of youths are terrorizing other young people in primary schools, high schools and CEGEPs, and they must be brought into line. The answer, however, is not simply to drag them into court and sentence them. I am a bigger believer in social reintegration with the help of psychologists, doctors and experts. If we do nothing but send young offenders to jail, we will end up with hardened criminals on our hands.
In the House of Commons on May 12th, 1994. See this statement in context.