Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Welcome to the Senate, Senator Gold. Since Bill C-5 came into force, two violent sex offenders, a drug trafficker possessing a prohibited and loaded firearm, and a stepmother who beat and starved her 11-year-old stepson received a sentence to be served at home rather than in prison. Senator Gold, I’d like to remind you of what you said in this place when we debated Bill C-5.

We absolutely agree that serious criminal behaviour should be met with serious sanctions. Under Bill C-5, the offences listed in this amendment will continue to result in a prison sentence almost all of the time.

Do you believe that sexually assaulting someone, beating and starving a child and drug trafficking with prohibited firearms constitute serious criminal behaviour?