Mr. Speaker, the second petition relates to issues of the criminal justice system. It is primarily signed by residents of Saanich—Gulf Islands, namely Saanichton, Saturna Island, and Mayne Island. The petitioners point out that they are lacking facilities they critically need. For instance, on Vancouver Island, there is no remand or correctional facility for women while they wait for trials. This puts a huge burden on families. Therefore, the petitioners are asking the current government for special attention to ensure that correctional facilities are reviewed right across Canada, particularly in light of the additional burden created by mandatory minimum sentences.
In the House of Commons on November 4th, 2013. See this statement in context.