Mr. Speaker, I listened to the government talk about the legislation it has brought in. I have the same concern as my colleague from Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough that while legislation has been brought in to fix the system, we still have a system that is worse than it was before.
I refer to the section of the criminal code which was brought in in 1997. It is the aspect about participation in criminal organization, which I believe is actually reasonably well written. I studied whether or not people have been convicted under this aspect of the criminal code. I understand one person has been since 1997. I also understand that a number of cases have been plea bargained. The plea bargaining that took place eliminated that aspect of the law which in effect gives consecutive or additional sentencing to anything that happens. I agree with that.
Therefore the problem in my mind is not just necessarily that there is no law. The problem is the legal industry and the courtroom. Many a victim in the country will say that therein lies the difficulties they have.
Is it possible to have a comment from the justice minister on whether or not she thinks it would be possible to get around the plea bargaining aspect and where an individual is proven to be a member of organized crime a penalty between two and fourteen years exists and is not plea bargainable within the court?