Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on behalf of my community to add my comments concerning Bill C-3, an act respecting DNA identification and to make consequential amendments to the Criminal Code and other acts.
To be clear, what are we talking about? In specificity, it concerns an enactment to provide for the establishment of a national DNA databank to be maintained by the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and to be used to assist law enforcement agencies in solving crimes.
The databank will consist of a crime scene index containing DNA profiles derived from bodily substances found in places associated with the commission of certain types of serious offences and a convicted offenders index containing DNA profiles obtained from persons convicted of or discharged from those types of offences.
The enactment amends the Criminal Code to provide for orders authorizing the collection of bodily substances from which DNA profiles can be derived for inclusion in the DNA databank. It also amends the Criminal Code to authorize the collection of bodily substances from offenders who meet clearly defined criteria and who are currently serving sentences.
The enactment contains specific provisions regulating the use of the bodily substances collected and the DNA profiles derived from them, and the use and communication of and access to information contained in the databank.
Specifically, we are at the report stage debate of this bill and the Reform Party is firmly committed to restoring the confidence in our justice system and providing Canadians with a true sense of security. Today's debate is broken down into various sections concerning amendments about which I will speak later.
Canadians really do not have a lot of confidence in our justice system, and no wonder, for essentially it is a liberal justice system. Reformers want to strengthen our law enforcement agencies by providing them with the latest technological tools so they can quickly detect and apprehend the perpetrators of the most violent crimes in society.
DNA identification is that kind of tool. But it can also vindicate possible suspects, protect the innocent and save money for more appropriately focused resources for investigation efforts.
If used to its potential the DNA databank could be the single most important development in fighting crime since the introduction of fingerprints. To deny the prosecution the full use of this technology in the fight against crime, as Bill C-3 does in its present form, is unacceptable because it maintains an unnecessary level of risk to the lives and safety of our citizens. Again, from my point of view, it is the usual Liberal half-step in the right direction and further evidence of a weak government.
Bill C-3, an act respecting DNA identification, if passed unamended will provide Canadians with a false sense of security. It is just not good enough to meet our higher standards.
Members of the Reform Party fully support the creation of DNA databanks. However, we do not support the timid and weak style of Bill C-3. It does not grant our police forces full use of the DNA technology which is readily at their disposal, a tool that would help close hundreds of unsolved violent crimes and a tool that would have the enormous potential of saving lives by removing predators from our streets.
Let me refer directly to the motions in this section of the report stage debate.
I notice at page V of the Order Paper and Notice Paper for Monday, May 4, 1998 that there are 14 report stage amendments. I will speak briefly to the ones in the section concerning our present debate.
Motion No. 1 is brought forward by the Bloc. I believe that the bill already contains adequate provisions covering these areas and that the amendment is not necessary to support them.
Motion No. 2 is brought forward by the NDP. I think it has merit. This amendment precludes private agencies and labs from taking samples and it creates public standards and better accuracy for testing quality. I support the motion.
Motion No. 3 is brought forward by the Bloc. It also has merit. It safeguards against the wrong persons accessing the DNA databank. I support this improvement.
Motion No. 5 is brought forward by the Bloc. I really do not think it is particularly helpful. It is really a make-work amendment and there is no reason for us to have a three year review. It really does not help the general goals of the bill.
Further, Bill C-3 does not allow for the taking of a DNA sample at the time of formal charge. It does not permit samples to be taken from incarcerated individuals, other than designated dangerous offenders, multiple sex offenders and multiple murderers.
There are hundreds of unsolved assaults, rapes and homicides where DNA evidence has been left at the scene by the perpetrator. DNA identification now offers an unparalleled opportunity to solve many of these cases and bring the perpetrators to justice. However, because of the government's fear of violating the privacy rights of those responsible for heinous crimes, it is restricting the use of this very important technology by law enforcement. It is a typical approach of a weak government.
Those responsible for shaping our justice system continue to express a willingness to place the lives and the safety of Canadians in jeopardy. Whether by paroling violent offenders who go on to murder again, or by freeing convicted violent offenders through conditional sentencing, or by tying our police officers' hands through Bill C-3, it appears the safety of society is a secondary issue for the Liberal government.