Mr. Speaker, the hon. member asks a good question, but to really measure what the government is trying to do, we also have to talk to the victims of some of those crimes the member named.
Canadians sent the overwhelming message that they did not want serious crime to be punished by way of a conditional sentence. For many of the crimes the member has named, there is a sentence of 10 years or more as a maximum. Many of the offences with sentences of a maximum of 10 years or more can also be prosecuted by way of summary conviction. There is still an availability for a conditional sentence where the prosecution, in its discretion, has decided to proceed by way of summary conviction, but to be clear, we have to draw a line somewhere. In our Criminal Code, we have sentences that have maximums of 5 years, 10 years or 14 years. For some it is a life sentence.
We have drawn a line at 10 years. What we have said is that in our Criminal Code where we have designated serious offences, offences punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, the government is going to take that seriously, because the intent of legislators and the intent of those who drafted our Criminal Code is being undercut by the over-application of conditional sentences.
Canadians need only look at the articles in the newspapers. The news stories, and I would say there are more than a few, show a great many instances of someone who has no business being in a community yet who is serving a sentence in the community, someone who has victimized members of that community and who may have victimized youth in that community.
Canadians have sent a very clear message that they do not want serious offenders serving their time in the community. The government has drawn a line at those offences that our Criminal Code designates serious offences with a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment available. We have said that conditional sentences will no longer be available for those crimes.