Mr. Speaker, the sweeping omnibus crime bill tabled by the government will have one clear result, and that is thousands more will be incarcerated, billions more will be spent on prisons and aboriginal Canadians will be most at risk.
This “jail everyone” policy shift contradicts testimony by experts and sound recommendations from countless national reviews on how to reduce the number of aboriginals committing crimes or who are the victims of crime.
While only 3% of Canadians are aboriginals, they constitute 22% of prison populations, nine times the national average.
I cannot even hear myself speak, Mr. Speaker.