Madam Speaker, my Conservative colleague mentioned the roots of criminality. This is one of the main issues we have to address when dealing with youth crime. What is the root of the problem?
We have heard some interesting arguments linking the increase in crime to the increase in poverty. Unfortunately, in the bill now before the House, instead of looking for the roots of criminality, the government is going for a bandaid solution, not a proper solution.
I do have some concerns when I see a child who was raised in a low income family, or maybe a single-parent family or under a number of circumstances that could have led him or her to commit crimes and become a problem for society, being told “From now on, you are going to be treated like an adult criminal”.
The problem is that this young person, instead of being rehabilitated, going to school and becoming a good citizen, will be sent to prison, a school for crime, where he will be in contact with confirmed criminals. My concern is that, when he is released, he will be even more frustrated with society.
How could a young man have respect for society when he feels he does not get any respect from it? I do not want to be too categorical, but I think that in that school for crime, his frustration with society will just build up, and he will learn more about crime. When he is released, he will probably be a much better criminal. He could also have a thirst for vengeance, and the problem will still be there. Since he will have become a young criminal, he will remain a burden for society for many years.
This debate is very important. I am concerned when I hear some people say that young people should be punished more harshly. But I do understand the basic philosophy of the Reform Party. I know many members of that party have been involved with or have themselves been victims of young criminals. I can understand the frustration.
This kind of frustration sometimes lead to a thirst for vengeance, and we tend to say that we need more stringent laws against young offenders. That reaction is quite normal, but I wonder what the consequences would be for society and for young people.
Since the prison systems are there, I hope, to protect society, a more repressive attitude will not help us solve the problem. Far from it.
A few moments ago, a member talked about prison systems in aboriginal communities. I heard about one system where it is agreed that young offenders have to be isolated from society for a while but, instead of being sent to jail with other offenders, they are sent to spend some time in the forest, which I think is a basic aspect of aboriginal culture, to reflect on their actions and to take responsibility for those actions.
There are alternative measures that have not been examined carefully enough. They could yield better results than the Reform proposals, which, unfortunately, have found favour with the government.
I do not know if most members of the Liberal caucus believe in this approach. I hope this is not the balanced approach mentioned by the government, leaning to the left on some issues, leaning to the right on others, and all that to score political points.
I hope the Liberal members opposite are truly convinced this bill will improve society by putting more young people in jail, by treating them like adult criminals when they are not always fully aware of the seriousness of their actions. I think this is not the way to increase that awareness.