Mr. Speaker, as you can see I was not fully prepared for a 10 minute address.
I would like to thank my hon. colleagues for the opportunity to address this issue. As was noticed earlier on it is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I carry a certain passion for it.
I should first clarify my position on this. As the member of parliament for Simcoe—Grey and dealing with a private members' bill I am a very significant proponent for repealing section 745. I do so for a couple of reasons. Those two reasons are justice and victims rights. I encourage the members of this House to give consideration to the elimination of section 745 for those two reasons.
I will not repeat what some of my colleagues have commented on with respect to justice and the amount of time served for first degree murder. In a just society, I believe there should not be an opportunity to have a reduction in sentence when in fact a premeditated murder has taken place. Perhaps even more important are the victims that are left behind to deal with this over and over again. I would like to provide a short example. I think it might impact on some of the hon. members of this House.
I too have a constituent in my riding that has had to experience the loss of a loved one. In turn the murderer had the opportunity to go through the section 745 process. It was not the spouse that had to relive that tragedy, that travesty which took place, but the children. She had a very easy explanation to understand and certainly it is why I am a proponent to have this section eliminated.
The children dealt with it as children some 17 or 18 years ago. They were able to put it behind them and get on with their lives. She was able to address it accordingly and raise her children in a very good way. Some 15 years later, the children were forced to deal with it again but this time as adults. That had a very negative consequence on their lives. It has had a dramatic effect on that.
I believe if we are to give true consideration, if we are truly to be supportive of victims rights, then we have no option but to eliminate section 745.
On behalf of the constituents of Simcoe—Grey, I voice my comments here on this private members' bill and wholeheartedly endorse the removal and elimination of section 745.