Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her work on the justice committee and on these issues and the many bills we are putting forward as a government. As I stated, these provisions draw on input that we received from across Canada. These provisions and the streamlining are measures that provinces have called for.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-23, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal procedure, language of the accused, sentencing and other amendments). The government has already presented important measures in the House that aim at providing better protection for Canadians against crime.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, the thoughtful speech of the hon. member for Fundy Royal is correct in saying that we on this side of the House are taking justice issues seriously. We have listened to Canadians. We are busy in the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, of which he and I are both members.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, the DNA databank is a complicated science. It is extremely complicated, but the end result is protection for Canadians and the ability for us to identify a sample and hopefully put someone behind bars who otherwise would not be, including those offenders who abuse children.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, I fairly succinctly set out in my speech some of the safeguards that are in place. In fact, contrary to what some might think about a DNA databank, there is no personal information attributable to the DNA sample actually held in the same place as the databank. The data, the DNA sample and the personal information are in fact kept separately.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, there is a review of the DNA databank system. We certainly have a system here that has been of great value to Canadians. It has been one that has been used not only to solve crime but also to exonerate individuals, and there is going to be a comprehensive review of the process.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe for his question and for his work on the justice committee which will be considering Bill C-18 when we vote as a House to send it to committee. On this side of the House, we are certainly in favour of the goals of reuniting potentially lost children with their families.

An Act to Amend Certain Acts in Relation to DNA Identification  Mr. Speaker, I have the great pleasure today of speaking in favour of Bill C-18 and in favour of sending Bill C-18 to the committee for further study. The National DNA Data Bank is a great Canadian success story. It has assisted the police in their investigations of thousands of serious crimes.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. As has been rightly said, and I agree with the hon. member 100%, we on this side of the House and probably all members in the House would agree that the best scenario is if a crime does not take place. Of course we want people to get the message that crime does not pay, that there are other ways, and that they do not have to nor should they commit crimes, any kind of crimes, that have sanctions in the Criminal Code, whether it be street racing or some other criminal offence.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, on the issue of aggravating factors, I stated that in the case of criminal negligence causing death or dangerous driving causing bodily harm or death, that aggravating factor that an individual was involved in a street racing situation was not tracked by CPIC. We feel it should be.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, this bill sends the message that we are taking this issue seriously. I think it will have a deterrent effect on someone that there is a new Criminal Code offence of street racing. We are also putting into the Criminal Code increased maximum penalties and mandatory minimum driving prohibitions.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege today to speak to Bill C-19 respecting street racing. Today I of course will be speaking in favour of the government's Bill C-19, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (street racing) and to make a consequential amendment to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to my colleague's speech and I appreciate the time he took to draft it and deliver it. I also appreciate his input. Our government has identified the problem of street racing. Some people engage in street racing but the vast majority do not.

Heritage Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Protection Act  Mr. Speaker, it has been extremely interesting to listen to debate this evening on this private member's bill, an act respecting fishing, trapping and hunting heritage in Canada. I have listened with great interest to comments from members from all sides of the House. I want to state from the outset that we on this side fully support the legitimate rights of outdoors people who hunt, fish and trap, individuals who, as part of their Canadian heritage, partake in these very legitimate activities.

Judges Act  Mr. Speaker, I have to take issue with some of the thesis of the member on the underpinnings of the bill. First, the government has adopted almost all of the commission's recommendations. Second, this government has taken steps to respect the judiciary, to ensure that we have a process that works.