Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke about certain events that took place in his region. I want to talk to him about a decision handed down yesterday in my region, at the New Carlisle courthouse in the Gaspé.
A man with no prior criminal offences was charged with sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, assault and criminal harassment against three alleged victims over an extended period of time. After he was charged, he was taken into custody. He has remained in custody since last April. Yesterday, he tried to get bail. His request was turned down and he is still in prison.
Why is that? It is because a number of tools already provided in the Criminal Code make it possible to keep inmates who pose a danger to public safety in custody, even if they have not yet been found guilty.
My question for my colleague is this: What is missing from the Criminal Code that prevents us from ensuring that dangerous individuals remain in prison?