Senator Plett: I’m not sure, Senator Dalphond, that I even understand the question properly.

I think if a person commits a sexual assault, that person needs to be incarcerated, simple as that. The judge has the discretionary powers to say whatever the minimum is and give that minimum. We, as parliamentarians, have an obligation to fulfill that — not to allow individual judges who may have had a bad day to allow that bad day to influence their decision. We need to have rules in place. We have had rules in place. You alluded to Senator Boisvenu speaking to 2012 and how he had been part of a different government. Yes, that government brought in what was considered good mandatory minimums.

I’m not sure where you would possibly think that I would have somewhere changed my mind on that. If that person has committed a sexual offence against somebody I know — some woman or girl I know — I don’t want that person living beside her, period. The longer we can keep that person away, the better it is, yes. That is what I believe.