Mr. Speaker, first of all, the hon. member is not right about using a toy gun to hold up a store. That does not attract four years. That attracts one year under section 85.
More to the point, the conditional sentence is part of Bill C-41. It was made part of the Criminal Code by the House of Commons last year because it provides the courts, in appropriate cases, with an alternative to incarceration where sentences are two years less a day or less.
In those instances it is recognized that sometimes merely putting somebody in jail and locking the door is not necessarily the best approach. Maybe there are other steps which can be taken that are less costly and more effective in protecting the victim and in ensuring that the person does not commit another crime.
We have provided, through the conditional sentence, another tool for the courts to use in determining the appropriate sentence. It is then up to the courts to decide whether, on the facts of any
particular case, the conditional sentence is the appropriate disposition. We have done the right thing.