SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 259

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 30, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 259 - Nov/30/23
Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)
  • Nov/30/23 4:15:45 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for his statement. This is a delicate issue that must be handled intelligently. It is a matter of striking a balance between individual and collective rights, between safety and social peace. Finding that balance is a very delicate exercise, and we all have several cases we could cite. What is also important is to preserve the basic principles of law, such as the presumption of innocence and the right to remain silent. How can we reconcile all this and still allow judges a certain amount of power at the local level? Judges are trained for this purpose; they hear individual cases and have to render decisions. I would like to hear what the minister has to say about this. How can we strike that balance? Where do we draw the line between public protection and the guarantee of individual rights?
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Context: House Hansard - 259 - Nov/30/23
Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)
  • Nov/30/23 5:12:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am going to give my colleague an opportunity to use up a bit more floor time. Joking aside, this is a very serious subject. We are seeking a fragile balance between individual rights and collective rights, the protection of society and the community. This is not an easy balance to strike. I am very interested in what my colleague had to say. He showed that people do not need to spend a lot of time talking when what they say is clear and precise. I congratulate him. As my colleague explained, this bill applies to repeat offenders when the offence is repeated within a five-year period. Could he tell us whether the bill makes a distinction for prolific offenders? Does that change anything? Is the five-year period extended in their case? When we talk about issues like this, it is easy to fall into the trap of populism, because we can all think about horrific cases we have seen or heard about. I would like to know whether this is clearly expressed in the bill, and whether there is any leeway for the judge. It is also important to allow the judge to gauge the specific situation. I would like to hear what my colleague has to say.
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