Mr. Speaker, we have been very, very clear in terms of young people under the age of 12. No one on this side of the House is suggesting that a young person, at the age of 10 for example, who hurts another individual should not be held accountable or take responsibility. What we believe on this side of the House is that the most effective way to deal with those children is not through the formal criminal justice system but through either the child welfare system or the mental health system.
In the House of Commons on May 26th, 1998. See this statement in context.