Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to let Canadians know that I share Prince George with my colleague from Cariboo—Prince George and we make a great team in representing that city.
I listened with great interest to his remarks about this bill, about justice issues in general and about the Liberals' soft on crime approach. I was reminded when I was listening to his remarks that the Liberals always seem to take a good idea and weaken it.
This legislation is a good idea, make no mistake about it, and we are supportive of the idea, but we are opposed because the Liberals have taken a good idea from an opposition member, in this case Chuck Cadman, and they have softened it and weakened it. The Liberals are more concerned about the rights of the criminal than the rights of the victim, whether it is someone who has had their car stolen, or someone who has been harmed and in some cases killed by a street racer, or whether it is someone who has been hurt, raped or murdered. The culprit always seems to get a conditional sentence.
This is something that I and parties I have been associated with have been concerned about ever since the Liberal government brought in conditional sentencing. The justice minister has now made a vague promise to study it and may change it at some point in the near future. I can assure Canadians watching the proceedings at home that when the Liberals change it, they will still leave legal loopholes for criminals to get away with murder.
My colleague from Prince George obviously has followed these justice issues with great interest and has spoken passionately about them over the last 12 years. I wonder if has noticed other areas where the government has left legal loopholes so lawyers can get their clients off without serving appropriate jail time.