Mr. Speaker, I do not think we are saying that at all. I said that when we take 16 and 17 year olds out of the young offenders system we are taking them not only for violent crimes. We are taking them out of the system for theft and vandalism. We are taking them out of the system for everything.
For purposes of murder and other serious crimes that is something we have to deal with in the legislation the minister brings forward. Hopefully there will be changes. If not, there will be the ability of the committee to determine any changes.
Sending 16 and 17 year olds to prison and having them sexually and physically abused will not help society when those young people get back on the streets. Punishment has to happen. When we talk about parents who have lost their children because of murder by a young offender, there is no one in the House who has a lock on sympathy and downright remorse for what happened. Anybody in the House, particularly myself, would love to do something that would be helpful to those parents.
This is why I say crime prevention to stop it from happening to somebody else has to be something that we have first and foremost in our minds. Eighteen is an internationally recognized age. Sixteen, eighteen or whatever will be before the justice committee. Every member on the committee will have a chance to examine that aspect of the legislation.