Madam Speaker, the hon. member has asked three questions. He asked what my position would be if it was someone in my family who had been murdered. I have not had that experience. I can only hope that I would take the approach which I have described in my speech.
I would remind him of the appearance of a gentleman to give evidence before the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs during the pre-study of this bill last June. He had lost a loved one through a murder. He was opposed to this bill. He spent a great deal of time and committed a great deal of his resources to working with inmates in trying to achieve reconciliation and in trying to bring them back as working, capable and law-abiding members of our society.
He believed that was the right approach and he said so before the committee. He did not take the view that the person who had committed the offence against his loved one should spend the rest of his days locked up in prison. He felt it would be better for society if that person, assuming he was not a danger to the public, could be released and could participate in society as a law-abiding citizen.
Surely the lives of all of us would be enriched if that were the case, if that person could in fact be released and would not have to spend the rest of his or her time sitting in jail doing, practically speaking, nothing.
That was his approach. I agree with that approach. It is exactly the approach we should take.
I am sure the hon. member, when he contemplates not the notion of punishment but the notion of what is best for our society, would agree that if the person does not pose a risk to society, after a reasonable period in jail, should be considered for release. I know there has to be some sentence served, and 15 years is a long time, despite what hon. members suggest. If after 15 years in prison the person is no longer a risk, why would we not look at release as a possibility? It may be on terms. It always is because the person is, after all, under a life sentence. There will always be some reporting. There will always be some checking on whereabouts. There will always be some restrictions on movement. That follows with a life sentence. That is part and parcel of it.
Hon. members say that life only means 25 years. It does not because at the end of 25 years murderers still have to apply for parole and may not get it.
I could name some murderers, and I am sure hon. members opposite can too, who are most unlikely to get out under any circumstances until the end of their natural lives. There are some in prisons in my community who are there for the rest of their lives. I know they are not going to get out.