I am worried, Mr. Speaker. Members of the Reform party are actually applauding me. I may have to rethink my position.
Canadians as a caring and just people have to understand that the accused has rights but there must be a recognition in law of the right of individuals to have safe communities.
I would like to see the government look at this provision. Maybe when this bill is studied further the government will assent to look at some exceptional circumstances where the rights of the community to safety override the right of the young offender convicted of a heinous crime, of a violent crime, to anonymity.
There is one other thing that is not in this bill which I have to raise because it deals basically with young people. It deals with offences against young people. I have spoken in the House before on this. An epidemic is going through the country of criminals who are committing perhaps the worst crime possible in our society today: adults who lure young women and in some cases young men into prostitution.
I say it is an epidemic. It is an epidemic which has not been spoken about loud enough or long enough in Parliament or in provincial legislatures. We are literally seeing some of our young children being lifted off the streets and forced into prostitution.
When we deal with the crimes of young offenders, the government must give priority to dealing with crimes against young people as well. I urge the Minister of Justice to quickly bring in new laws and new regulations to deal with this most serious crime. We need strict punishment and maximum sentences for those convicted of living off the avails of juvenile prostitution.