Mr. Speaker, with greatest respect to the hon. member opposite, I spent six years on the justice committee. We spent a great deal of time talking about whether minimum mandatories would work. With greatest respect again to the hon. member, he should read the material. He should read the studies.
It does not work. It does not reduce crime. It has no impact on the incidence of crime. It is not as if somebody thinks that if he uses a gun, he will get a minimum mandatory of four years, which is the current law. It is not as if he thinks whether he should use a gun or some other weapon. The truth of the matter is, criminals just do not think that way. Therefore, the issue of minimum mandatories, which is essentially taking away the discretion of judges, is an appearance of a solution and it panders to a certain segment of our population, but it has no consequence on the impact of crime.