Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Would Senator Boisvenu agree to take a question? Since we’re repeating the debate a bit and we already had it in committee, Senator Boisvenu, I understand that the list of offences that you propose adding that will make a release in these conditions impossible, isn’t exactly the same list that currently exists in the Criminal Code. What led you to remove some of the offences that were in the Criminal Code and add others in their place?

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Welcome to the Senate, minister.

As part of the study of Bill C-5, which proposes to abolish 20 or so minor offences that have been identified as having disproportionate repercussions on Indigenous peoples, Black Canadians and marginalized Canadians, we heard from witnesses who suggested that we add an amendment for the other penalties for which minimum penalties would continue to apply. This means that there would be some built-in discretion given to the courts to hand down a penalty that could veer from the minimum penalty that would continue to apply in these cases. What do you think of this suggestion, minister?