Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, the United States is another country. My role as a member of Parliament is to work to make Canadian society safe. It is America's responsibility to deal with its problems. This bill is a Canadian solution to what is a Canadian problem. For a long time in cities in Canada we have not had as much of a gang problem or as much of a handgun problem.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to hear some of the comments and speeches from other members and also some of the questions and answers. It is quite enlightening. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to this very significant bill. It is a bill that is in keeping with the campaign and election commitments made by the Conservative Party of Canada to Canadians.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. colleague on his speech. We have heard some criticism from those who at this time would not like to get tougher on gang violence and crime. I want to quote from the Liberal platform in the last election: A Liberal government will re-introduce legislation to crack down on violent crimes and gang violence, and to double the mandatory minimum sentences for serious gun-related crimes.

Divorce Act  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to speak to private member's bill, Bill C-252, an act to amend the Divorce Act, access for spouse who is terminally ill or in critical condition. First, I thank my hon. colleague, the member for Lethbridge for bringing forward a bill that enables the House to focus on the important question of marital breakdown and its impact on children.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice Act requires that the Attorney General satisfy himself as to the constitutionality of legislation, and he has done so in this case.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes this evening to speak about a blight that is affecting our global society. It is a scourge upon all countries where the widespread use of the Internet is common. It is the online victimization of children. In Canada we know this as Internet luring.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, people have honed in on various offences that are covered by Bill C-9. Some of the ones which members opposite have referred to as being less serious are break and enter with intent to commit indictable offence and being unlawfully in a dwelling house. Those two provisions, at the discretion at the prosecutor, can be pursued by way of summary conviction or by way of indictment.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, consultations have taken place among the parties and I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move: That the Minister of Justice be deemed not to have spoken to the second reading motion of Bill C-9, an act to amend the Criminal Code (conditional sentence of imprisonment).

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, various provinces have carriage of Criminal Code offences and different provinces take somewhat different approaches. Bill C-9 is providing direction that when someone is convicted of a serious offence under the Criminal Code, has victimized another Canadian, we as a government and as a society are taking that seriously and people who commit a serious offence will be serving time in prison and not in the community.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, we have heard from a great many groups, such as the Canadian Professional Police Association and victims groups. Advocates for justice have been saying for years that a change is needed and that serious crime needs to be treated in a serious manner. Their pleas have been falling on deaf ears.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member asks a good question, but to really measure what the government is trying to do, we also have to talk to the victims of some of those crimes the member named. Canadians sent the overwhelming message that they did not want serious crime to be punished by way of a conditional sentence.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, Bill C-9 targets the most serious offences, including offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, that carry a minimum penalty of 10 years. Less serious offences are not covered by this bill and conditional sentences are still available where they had been in the past.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I stand today to speak to Bill C-9, an act to eliminate the availability of conditional sentences for serious offenders. Bill C-9 flows from the government's clear commitment to Canadians to ensure that house arrest is no longer available for those who commit serious or violent crimes.

Human Rights  Mr. Speaker, this party and this government support human rights. We support human rights in Canada and we support human rights throughout the world.

Aboriginal Affairs  Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians asked us to end the revolving door to our criminal justice system. They asked us to take seriously the concerns of victims of crime of the provinces and of the police who protect our streets. The government made a commitment to act and yesterday we delivered.