Madam Speaker, I welcome the opposition member back to the House after the break.
I am glad that the hon. member has asked that question. There are a couple of elements in the question that I would like to explain so that he really understands how imperative this is to law enforcement and to this country as a whole.
First and foremost, the hon. member mentioned that it has not been used. Yes, I agree that it has not been used, but that does not mean that we will not need to use it in the future. We have seen an escalation of arrests in terrorists activities or suspected terrorist activities. As a police officer who is on a leave of absence and I have every intention to return to my position as a police officer when I am done helping to create some new laws here in the House, I know this is a tool that will be used when appropriate. When the hon. member mentions that it has not been used yet, that clearly indicates to me that it is used only when it is absolutely necessary. The officers I have spoken with indicate that they believe this is a tool they will unfortunately have to use in the future, and I would like to give them every tool open to them.
I too am concerned always about the safety and security of Canadians. That is why I think this bill must be adopted, because without this bill, we cannot proactively deal with terrorism. This bill also allows us not only to deal with future terrorists acts, but past terrorists acts, and that is crucial during investigation.
So I would urge the member to consider that this bill is the answer to both protecting Canadians securely and providing for their rights. This is only going to be used in very serious cases, and I would urge the member to consider that and vote with us to ensure the safety and protection of Canadians.