Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the hon. member for Saint John—Rothesay for all he has done over the years in advocating for pardon reform. The presence of a criminal record has led to indigenous, Black and other racialized communities being disproportionately represented in our criminal justice system. These records create barriers to accessing a job, housing and education, which can, in turn, perpetuate the cycle of crime.
Yesterday we introduced legislation to reduce barriers in accessing a pardon and allow law-abiding citizens to safely reintegrate into their communities. This is a smart approach to crime, and we thank the public safety committee for its essential work in bringing this about.