Mr. Speaker, either the separatist member does not understand, or he did not listen to what I was saying. We on this side of the House are differentiating between violent and non-violent offenders. We also emphasize the importance of prevention and rehabilitation.
The fact is there is no appropriate punishment when the punishment by the court is only a minor slap on the wrist. That indicates to our youth that there is no deterrent to commit crime. They do not understand the importance of not committing a crime. There is motivation to commit a crime because there is no punishment.
If there is severe or appropriate or reasonable punishment for someone who commits a crime, this will put fear into potential criminals. There is a deterrent for them. The hon. member should understand that.