They were very constructive. I think everyone is grasped with the recent tragedies that have befallen communities right across the country. We spent considerable time talking about potential modifications to the bail system under the Criminal Code.
We also devoted some space to talking about the ways we can prevent crime from occurring and prevent violence from occurring. We heard from different jurisdictions about integrated teams, such as police services going out with public health professionals and other supports. If a call comes in related to a substance abuse challenge or other mental health issue, then the appropriate professional is on hand to de-escalate the situation without the need for force.
We talked about how mental health calls have been on the increase and how taking an integrated approach can be a more effective way to streamline resources so that we are really only using the criminal law as a last resort. That is consistent with my own experiences on the front lines of the criminal justice system, and I think it is one of the ways we can reduce the kinds of recidivist, systemic challenges that we've seen, which in turn lead to overrepresentation.
As much as we have to be focused on ensuring that our bail systems work correctly, we also have an obligation to acknowledge that the systemic challenges remain, and that overrepresentation is shockingly high, especially when it comes to Indigenous peoples and racialized Canadians. We have an obligation to reduce those trends and reverse them as well.