Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments. I will read the section of the Criminal Code:
—where the detention is necessary for the protection or safety of the public, including any victim of or witness to the offence, having regard to all the circumstances including any substantial likelihood that the accused will, if released from custody, commit a criminal offence or interfere with the administration of justice...
We would include after the word “offence” “or minor children of the accused”. In this exact case, she went on to commit a very serious criminal offence by taking the life of this young child.
We could add this little section in the Criminal Code and give our lawmakers the ability to deny bail for the protection of minor children. There is a whole host of other issues that were dealt with in the inquiry relating to child welfare. That is a provincial matter. I am sure the province is working through that, the Turner Investigation review report, which was two huge volumes. A lot of things slipped through the cracks on this one.
This is one aspect where we can stand tall in the federal Parliament and correct this.