Mr. Speaker, a good government has a moral and legal duty to safeguard children from all harms. The Supreme Court of Canada has failed to uphold that duty. Its decision to strike down a one-year mandatory minimum sentence for child sexual abuse material offences is sickening.
Let us examine how the scales of justice balance out in this case. On one side of the equation, two individuals made conscious decisions to contribute to and benefit from the torment and torture of hundreds of children. Instead of receiving a punishment that fits their crimes, they may very well walk free after less than a year in prison. On the other side, their innocent child victims are burdened for life with the scars of violent sexual abuse. They will never recover.
Through its silence, this government says that it cares more about the charter rights of perverts and pedophiles than those of precious children. A Conservative government would use the notwithstanding clause to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling. We would fight for the strongest laws against child exploitation. Our children deserve nothing less.