Mr. Speaker, this interesting debate gives us an opportunity to provide commentary on who we are and what our values are.
I do not so much look at the charter as a document that protects us from anything but rather as a document that defines us, that probably represents to the world a value system that many countries wish they had, freedom of speech, mobility freedom and all of the things that Canada offers. From a public perspective, that would be the reaction to the charter.
It does concern me when someone talks about the rights of persons who have done wrong in the criminal justice system, in the courts, et cetera, that they have the right to access proper representation. Some would characterize that as giving more protection to those who break the law, whereas we know that many people who are charged are not convicted.
I wonder if the member would care to comment as to whether or not the charter is a matter of protection or a matter of articulating the values of Canada.